Legal Definitions - National Archives and Records Administration

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is a federal agency that manages governmental records. It helps federal agencies manage their records, provides record-storage access, and manages the Presidential Libraries system. The agency is run by the Archivist of the United States.

NARA publishes several important documents, including:

• United States Statutes at Large
• Federal Register
• Code of Federal Regulations
• Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents
• Public Papers of the President
• United States Government Manual

The Federal Register is a daily publication that contains presidential proclamations and executive orders, federal-agency regulations, proposed agency rules, and documents required by law to be published. It is published by NARA.

For example, if the President signs an executive order, it will be published in the Federal Register. This allows the public to see what actions the government is taking and how it is being run.