U.S. PRESIDENTIAL INFORMATION:
EXECUTIVE ORDERS, PROCLAMATIONS, DIRECTIVES

Executive Orders are the formal means through which the President of the United States prescribes the conduct of business in the Executive Branch. They relate to how and what executive agencies do. Proclamations may be pardons or may be celebratory times such as the Wright Brothers Day. Presidential Directives have been called different names by various administrations. National Security Action Memoranda (NSAMs), Kennedy and Johnson; National Security Decision Memoranda (NSDMs), Nixon and Ford; Presidential Directives (PDs), Carter; National Security Decision Directives (NSDDs), Reagan; National Security Directives (NSDs), Bush; and Presidential Decision Directives (PDDs), Clinton.

Electronic Sources

Presidential directives and Executive Orders (Federation of American Scientists)

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, Jan. 1, 1993- (Government Printing Office)

John F. Kennedy Executive Orders (University of Michigan Documents Center)

Original Sources contains full text of presidential documents for Washington through Taft, and Hoover through Clinton; does not include Wilson, Harding and Coolidge.

Digital National Security Archive contains collection of Presidential Directives on National Security from Truman to George W. Bush.

Print and Microfiche Sources

Presidential Directives on National Security: From Truman to Clinton, Guide and Index. [Alexandria, VA: Chadwyck-Healey, Inc., 1994.] Accompanied by microfiche collection which provides full text of the directives. [Government Documents and Information Center Reference UA23 +P75 1994 (LC)] Now also available online, Digital National Security Archive

CIS Index to Presidential Executive Orders & Proclamations, Part I: April 30, 1789 to Mar. 4, 1921, George Washington to Woodrow Wilson; Part II: Mar. 4, 1921 to Dec. 31, 1983, Warren Harding to Ronald Reagan. [Washington, DC: Congressional Information Service, Inc., 1986] Indexes comprehensive collection of Executive Orders and Proclamations, numbered and unnumbered. Accompanied by microfiche collection which provides full text of the documents. [Government Documents and Information Center Reference KF70 +A55 1986 (LC)] Now also available online, Primary Sources in U.S. History (U.S. Presidential History--government documents)

Public Papers of the Presidents. (Hoover, Truman through Clinton). [Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration] Includes full text of executive orders and proclamations. Cumulative indexes available for Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, and Bush Administrations. [Government Documents and Information Center Reading Room, AE 2.114:]

Code of Federal Regulations, Title 3 (the President). [Washington, DC: Office of the Federal Register] Proclamations and Executive Orders are published as supplements to the CFR Title 3. The first volume published in 1944 covered 1943; supplements covering the calendar year are published annually. Periodically cumulations are issued. [Government Documents and Information Center Reading Room, AE 2.106/3:]

Current

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents (August 1965-present). [Washington, DC: Office of the Federal Register] Published every Monday; includes all documents and statements issued by the White House in the previous week. [Government Documents and Information Center, 1965-March 1985, GS 4.114:; 1985-present, AE 2.109; Current year, shelved in Reading Room]

Federal Register (1936-present). [Washington, DC: Office of the Federal Register] Published daily when government operating, includes Proclamations and Executive Orders. [Government Documents and Information Center, 1936-March 1985, GS 4.107:; April 1985-present, AE 2.106:; current year shelved in Reading Room]