Published by Office of the Federal Register National Archives and Records Service Revised July 1, 1982 Information on the contents of The U.S. Government Manual and other publications of the Office of the Federal Register may be obtained by writing: Office of the Federal Register National Archives and Records Service ON THE COVER is the signature page of the Definitive Treaty of Peace of the American Revolutionary War. The treaty, preserved in the National Archives in Washington, will be 200 years old in 1983. It was signed in Paris on September 3, 1783. Photographed with the signature page of the American copy is the silver box, called a skippet, holding the British royal seal certifying the signature of George III on a ceremonial copy of the treaty. The United States and Great Britain ratified the treaty in 1784. For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 Introduction 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 quasiofficial agencies, international organizations in which the United States participates, and boards, committees, and commissions. A typical agency description includes a list of principal officials, a summary statement on the agency's purpose and role in the 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 citizen interest. The 1982/83 Manual was prepared by the Presidential Documents Unit, Office of the Federal Register. Wilma P. Greene was Chief Editor. As always, comments and suggestions from users of the Manual are invited. Please address your comments to the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Service, Washington, D.C. 20408. THE FEDERAL REGISTER AND ITS SPECIAL EDITIONS The Manual is published pursuant to 1 CFR 9.1 as a special edition of the Federal Register. Its focus is on programs and activities. Persons interested in detailed organizational structure, the regulatory documents of an agency, or the public papers of the President should refer to the Federal Register or one of its other special editions, described below. Issued each Federal working day, the Federal Register provides a uniform system for publishing Presidential documents, regulatory documents with general applicability and legal effect, proposed rules, and documents required to be published by statute. The Code of Federal Regulations is an annual codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register. The Code is divided into 50 titles that represent broad areas subject to Federal regulation. The Code is kept up to date by the individual issues of the Federal Register. -The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents serves as a timely, up-to-date reference source for the public policies and activities of the President. It contains the remarks, news conferences, messages, statements, and other Presidential material of a public nature issued by the White House during the week reported. A companion publication to the Weekly Compilation is the Public Papers of the Presidents, which provides public Presidential documents and speeches in convenient book form. The series begins with President Truman, but volumes covering the administration of President Hoover also are available. OTHER OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL REGISTER PUBLICATIONS The Codification of Presidential Proclamations and Executive Orders provides in one reference source proclamations and Executive orders with general applicability and |