The United States Government Manual 2007/2008, Preface, Contents

• Pages: i-ix

The United States Government Manual

2007/2008

Office of the Federal Register

National Archives and Records Administration

Revised June 1, 2007

Raymond A. Mosley,

Director of the Federal Register.

Allen Weinstein,

Archivist of the United States.

On the cover: Celebrating 50 years of publishing the Public Papers of the Presidents.

The Public Papers of the Presidents (Public Papers) series, published by the Office of the Federal Register of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), began in 1957 during the administration of President Dwight Eisenhower as an official publication of the public writings, speeches, messages, and statements of the President of the United States.

Today the series provides authentic historical reference for the administrations of Presidents Hoover, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, George Bush, Clinton, and George W. Bush. The papers of President Franklin D. Roosevelt were published privately before the official Public Papers series was launched. Volumes containing other Presidents' materials from 1928 to 1957 were compiled and published retrospectively by the Office of the Federal Register.

Each volume of the Public Papers features a foreword signed by the President and a portfolio of photographs from the time period covered in the volume, as well as subject and name indexes and a document categories list. Volumes are generally published twice a year, with each volume covering approximately a 6-month period.

We accord special thanks to NARA's Presidential Libraries and the White House for providing the commemorative photographs used on the cover. We also thank the office of Creative and Digital Media Services at the Government Printing Office for its artistic contributions in designing the cover.

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office

Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512-1800; DC area

(202) 512-1800

Fax: (202) 512-2250 Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402-0001

ISBN 978-0-16-078659-4

Preface

As the official handbook of the Federal Government, The United States Government Manual provides comprehensive information on the agencies of the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. The Manual also includes information on quasi-official agencies; international organizations in which the United States participates; and boards, commissions, and committees.

A typical agency description includes a list of principal officials, a summary statement of the agency's purpose and role in the Federal Government, a brief history of the agency, including its legislative or executive authority, a description of its programs and activities, and a

``Sources of Information'' section. This last section provides information on consumer activities, contracts and grants, employment, publications, and many other areas of public interest.

The 2007/2008 Manual was prepared by the Presidential and Legislative Publications Unit, Office of the Federal Register, under the supervision of Gwendolyn J. Henderson. Alfred W. Jones was Managing Editor, assisted by Matthew...