| "From the earliest days of the federal government, Presidents, exercising magisterial or executive power not unlike that of a monarch, from time to time have issued directives establishing new policy, decreeing the commencement or cessation of some action, or ordaining that notice be given to some declaration. The instruments used by Presidents in these regards have come to be known by various names, and some have prescribed forms and purposes." Presidential directives: background and overview. Congressional Research Service. Harold C. Relyea. 98-611 GOV, 26 Nov 2008, [i] |
| Type | Administration | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| NSC Policy Papers | Truman, Eisenhower |
National security instruments were usually classified and only become publicly available long after they were issued.
At Colby:
For more information:
|
| National Security Action Memoranda | Kennedy, Johnson | |
| National Security Study Memoranda (review) and National Security Decision Memoranda (decision) |
Nixon, Ford | |
| Presidential Review Memoranda (review) and Presidential Directives (decision) |
Carter | |
| National Security Study Memoranda (review) and National Security Decision Directives (decision) |
Reagan | |
| National Security Reviews (review) and National Security Directives (decision) |
G.H.W. Bush | |
| Presidential Review Directives (review) and Presidential Decision Directives (decision) |
Clinton | |
| National Security Presidential Directives (decision) | G.W. Bush | |
| Presidential Study Directives (review) and Presidential Policy Directives (decision) |
Obama | |
| National Security Presidential Memoranda | Trump |
| Administration/ time period |
Federal Register | Code of Fed Regs 3 | Daily/Weekly Comp of Pres Docs | Public Papers of the Pres (ceased) | CMPP | U.S. Statutes at Large | U.S. Code | USCCAN | USCCS | American Pres Proj | Other | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Orders | 1940- | yes | yes | |||||||||
| Presidential Determinations | 1964- | yes | yes | |||||||||
| Designations of Officials | 1941- | yes | yes | |||||||||
| Executive Orders | 1789- | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes (4) | Serial Set, Cong Rec+, (1) | |
| Homeland Security Presidential Directives (some issued also as National Security Presidential Directives) | G.W. Bush | yes | (2) | |||||||||
| Memoranda (also listed under Other Public Documents) | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | |||||||
| Letters on Tariffs and International Trade | 1936-1979 | yes | yes | |||||||||
| Presidential Announcements (oral) | yes | yes | ||||||||||
| Presidential Findings | ca. 1954- | yes | yes | |||||||||
| Presidential Reorganization Plans | ca. 1939- | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | SerSet, CR | |||
| Proclamations | 1789- | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | SerSet, CR+, (3) |
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4) Note: Executive Orders from before 1970 that have subsequently been changed (e.g., superseded, amended, etc.) may not appear in their original form.
| Federal Register |
Federal Register |
|---|---|
| Code of Fed Regs 3 |
Code of Federal Regulations |
| 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). |
|
Public Papers of the Pres (ceased) |
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) |
| CMPP | A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents, 1789-1897. James D. Richardson. 3265-1 to 3265-10 H. Misc. Doc. 210, 53-2. Govt Doc AE 2.113/2: Also available at U.S. Presidential Library via HeinOnline. Choose "U.S. Presidential Library" from the drop-down (at the top left) > Messages and Papers. |
| U.S. Statutes at Large | United States Statutes at Large |
| U.S. Code | United States Code |
| USCCAN | United States Code Congressional and Administrative News. Govt Doc KF48 .W4 |
| USCCS | United States code congressional service. Govt Doc KF48 .W4 |
| 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.) |
| 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 Rec | Congressional Record |
List and Index of Presidential Executive Orders, unnumbered series (1789-1941), 1979.
Presidential proclamations concerning public lands, January 24, 1791-March 19, 1936: numerical list and index, Library of Congress.
U.S. Presidential Library via HeinOnline. Choose "U.S. Presidential Library" from the drop-down (at the top left).
What is an Executive Order?, Insights on Law and Society 17 (Fall 2016)
