This page provides information on how to find presidential documents that are not presidential directives.
| Daily/Weekly Comp of Pres Docs | Public Papers of the Pres (ceased) | USCCAN | Serial Set | Cong Record | American Pres Proj | Other | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Addresses and remarks | yes | yes | |||||
| Addresses to the nation | yes | yes | |||||
| Communications to Congress (usually Presidential messages) | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | |
| Communications to Federal agencies | yes | yes | yes | ||||
| Inaugural addresses | yes | yes | yes | (1) | |||
| Interviews with the news media | yes | yes | |||||
| Joint statements | yes | yes | |||||
| Letters and messages | yes | yes | |||||
| Memoranda (also listed under Presidential Directives) | yes | yes | yes | ||||
| Nominations submitted to the Senate | yes | yes | yes | yes | |||
| Press conferences | yes | yes | |||||
| Press releases | yes | yes | |||||
| Resignations and retirements | yes | yes | yes | ||||
| Speeches | yes | yes | yes | ||||
| State of the Union addresses | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | (3) | |
| Statements regarding bill signings and vetoes | yes | yes | yes | yes | (2) |
(1) Inaugural addresses of the Presidents of the United States from George Washington 1789 to George Bush 1989. 13914 S. Doc. 101-10. Govt Doc Y 1.1/2: Serial 13914.
"I Do Solemnly Swear . . .": Presidential Inaugurations, Library of Congress.
The inaugural addresses of the American Presidents, from Washington to Kennedy, Main Libr J81 .C61
Inaugural addresses of the presidents of the United States, from Washington to Roosevelt, Main Libr J81 .C06a
(2) Presidential vetoes, 1789-1988, Govt Ref Y 1.3:S.pub.102-12
Presidential vetoes, 1989-2001, Govt Doc Y 1.3:S.PUB.107-10
Some may be published as House or Senate Documents (H.Doc. or S.Doc.).
(3) The State of the Union messages of the Presidents, 1790-1966, Main Libr J81 .C66
| Daily/Weekly Comp of Pres Docs |
Note: The current Compilation of Presidential Documents is more up-to-date than Public Papers of the Presidents (ceased). In earlier years, the Daily Compilation of Presidential Documents and the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents included more documents than the PPP. Daily Compilation of Presidential Documents; Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents via HeinOnline, 1965-present Best Bet--or in-- Compilation of Presidential Documents 1993- --or in-- Academic Search Complete 1995- Each week the Government Publishing Office publishes in this database the President's public speeches, press conferences, proclamations, etc. from the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents and the Daily Compilation of Presidential Documents. These were later compiled in the volumes of the Public Papers of the Presidents (ceased). |
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| Public Papers of the Pres & related |
Note: The current Compilation of Presidential Documents is more up-to-date than Public Papers of the Presidents (ceased). In earlier years, the Daily Compilation of Presidential Documents and the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents included more documents than the PPP. A compilation of the messages and papers of the presidents (George Washington to Woodrow Wilson)Main Ref J81 . B96G The Public Papers and Addresses of Franklin D. Roosevelt Main Libr E806 .R749. Also available at U.S. Presidential Library via HeinOnline; choose "U.S. Presidential Library" from the drop-down (at the top left) > Public Papers. Public Papers of the Presidents (Herbert Hoover through Obama, 2016-2017, Book II, except FDR) Govt Ref AE 2.114 ; Govt Index AE 2.114 ; Online, 1929-1932, 1945-present . Also available at U.S. Presidential Library via HeinOnline; choose "U.S. Presidential Library" from the drop-down (at the top left) > Public Papers. Each president's public speeches, proclamations and sometimes executive orders are collected and published together in an annual volume, arranged chronologically. Volumes for some presidents are also available through their libraries: Herbert Hoover, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush |
| USCCAN | United States Code Congressional and Administrative News. Govt Doc KF48 .W4 |
| Serial Set | United States Congressional Serial Set (online) Govt Doc Y 1.1/2, numbered serially 1879-1999 (print) The Serial Set is primarily comprised of congressional reports on legislation, but has Presidential messages, documents and treaties as well. For the 19th century many executive agency reports are included--reports on expeditions, fisheries, commerce, defense, etc. Bowdoin's paper Serial Set starts with the years of the early republic, and with a few gaps continues to the present. The online Serial Set provides access to 1980. |
| Cong Record | Congressional Record |
| American Pres Proj | American Presidency Project. An amazing archive -- party platforms beginning in 1840, inaugural addresses since 1789, public papers since 1789, signing statements, State of the Union addresses, Executive Orders*, Proclamations, and much more. (*Note: Executive Orders from before 1970 that have subsequently been changed (e.g., superseded, amended, etc.) may not appear in their original form.) |
U.S. Presidential Library via HeinOnline. Choose "U.S. Presidential Library" from the drop-down (at the top left).
Tiffany Middleton, "Presidential Veto Statements", Insights on Law & Society 18, no. 1 (2018): 16-19.
