Presidential Documents Research Guide

Executive Orders are official documents that the President issues to manage the operations of the federal government. The text of an Executive Order first appears in the Federal Register. Beginning with Executive Order 7316 of March 13, 1936, the text also appears in the annual edition of Title 3 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Executive Orders are also available on the web, Lexis, Westlaw, and in a comprehensive microfiche set from CIS.

• Federal Register: available electronically via
  • GovInfo.Gov,
  • FederalRegister.Gov
  • Regulatory Insight
  • ProQuest Congressional and
  • HeinOnline
  • Bloomberg Law
• Code of Federal Regulations (Title 3): KF70 .A3; also available electronically from 
  • GovInfo.Gov,
  • e-CFR,
  • Regulatory Insight and
  • HeinOnline
• List of Sections Affected: KF 70 .A34; available electronically from 
  • GovInfo.Gov
• Compilation of Presidential Documents: KF70 .A4; available electronically via 
  • GovInfo.Gov
  • HeinOnline
• Codification of Presidential Proclamations and Executive Orders: KF70 .A473; also available electronically
  • Executive Orders are codified (arranged by subject instead of date) in the Codification of Presidential Proclamations and Executive Orders. Unfortunately, this codification has not been updated since 1989. The current status of any Executive Order issued since April 13, 1945 can be found easily by using the disposition tables on the web. Executive Orders Dispositions Tables (covers EOs from 1937 to the present)
• United States Code Congressional and Administrative News Executive Orders (1936 - )
• Presidential Documents and Executive Orders (from the Federal Register)
• Internet: Executive Orders
• CIS Index to Presidential Executive Orders and Proclamations (covers 1789-1983): KF70 .A5 pt.1 & pt. 2 (accompanying microfiche is located in Media Services)