WWW Virtual Library: International Affairs Resources-- U.S. Government Information Sources

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS INFORMATION SOURCES

Locator Services, Search Engines, Databases, and Directories

Department, Agency, Congressional, and Military Sources

Locator Services, Search Engines, Databases, and Directories for the United States Federal Government

Congressional Research Service Reports on the Internet-- The non-partisan Congressional Research Service, based at the Library of Congress, prepares thousands of unclassified reports a year on a vast range of topics at the request of members of Congress. Many CRS reports are on international topics or U.S. foreign policy issues. These first-rate reports are available in full-text PDF online, but they are poorly indexed by regular search engines. One of the most complete collections is from the Congressional Research Service itself. Another large posting site is EveryCRSReport.com. The Federation of American Scientists posts CRS reports on international security issues. The Homeland Security Digital Library posts CRS reports concerning homeland and national security issues.

The Homeland Security Digital Library posts over 250,000 public resources concerning U.S. homeland and national security issues, broadly interpreted. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's National Preparedness Directorate, FEMA, and the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security.

Cyber Cemetery-- From the University of North Texas Libraries, affiliated with the National Archives and Records Administration, "an archive of [U.S.] government web sites that have ceased operation (usually web sites of defunct government agencies and commissions that have issued a final report)."

Data.gov-- "Increases the ability of the public to easily find, download, and use datasets that are generated and held by the Federal Government. Data.gov provides descriptions of the Federal datasets (metadata), information about how to access the datasets, and tools that leverage government datasets. The data catalogs will continue to grow as datasets are added."

Federal Digital System-- From the U.S. Government Printing Office, identifies public information resources within the three branches of the federal government (including electronic information resources), describes the information available in these resources, and assists in obtaining the information. The Catalog of U.S. Government Publications is "the finding tool for federal publications that includes descriptive records for historical and current publications and provides direct links to those that are available online."

Freedom of Information Act Website-- From the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, facilitates access to U.S. government information in executive branch agency records, either through the Electronic Reading Room or by inquiry directly to the National Archives and Records Administration.

GovEngine.com-- Directory for U.S. federal, state, and local websites, including courts.

GovFresh-- Aggregated "live feed of official news from U.S. Government Twitter, YouTube, RSS, Facebook, Flickr accounts and more, all in one place."

govInfo-- "Provides free online access to official publications for all three branches of the Federal Government," via a search engine and browsing, with download capability.

GovTrack.us-- Free online service to "research and track the activities in the U.S. Congress [such as] the status of U.S. federal legislation, voting records in the Senate and House of Representatives, and information on Members of Congress, as well as congressional committees and the Congressional Record."

Internet Archive-- Stores and catalogues a huge amount of U.S. federal government websites and data for historical preservation purposes.

MetaLib-- From the U.S. Government Printing Office, a "federated search engine that searches multiple U.S. Federal government databases, retrieving reports, articles, and citations while providing direct links to selected resources available online."

Online Research Tools and Aids-- From the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration of the U.S. government, a guide to finding online federal records and information about them, including from Presidential Libraries.

USA.gov-- Large official United States government web portal offering easy access to all online U.S. federal, state, and local government resources, by various means of approach. Excellent source for such information.

United States Government Manual-- Official information source about the agencies of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

Department, Agency, Congressional, and Military Sources for the United States Federal Government

• Agency for International Development-- USAID is the government agency that provides economic development and humanitarian assistance to advance U.S. economic and political interests overseas. Much information on USAID's activities and on developing countries, including data and analysis about U.S. foreign aid from 1946 to the present, with maps, videos, and charts. Note the Development Experience Clearinghouse, the largest online resource for USAID-funded technical and program documentation, with items available for examination or free electronic download.

• Census Bureau's Foreign Trade Statistics-- Official trade data and related information for the United States.

• Census Bureau's International Programs Section-- A rich computerized data bank containing statistical tables of past, present, and projected demographic and socio-economic data for most countries and all areas of the world. A popular feature is the World Population Clock, with an interactive map and country data.

• Central Intelligence Agency-- The CIA posts many online publications, such as maps and the highly-regarded annual World Factbook. Check the Library for available documents. The Freedom of Information Act Electronic Reading Room gives access to a searchable online database "to provide the public with an overview of access to CIA information, including electronic access to previously released documents." Note especially the CREST program, with over 11 million searchable declassified pages online. See "The Ultimate Guide to Searching CIA's Declassified Archives" for useful tips about how to search CIA archives [not a CIA source]. The Center for the Study of Intelligence conducts research on intelligence and publishes unclassified editions of the Studies in Intelligence journal, as well as books, monographs, and a quarterly newsletter. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence publishes many studies, with archives, including the Annual Threat Assessment report. The National Intelligence Council posts “Global Trends 2040: A More Contested World,” "the Intelligence Community’s major assessment of the forces - and choices - shaping the world over the next two decades."

• Congress.gov-- From the Library of Congress, a large site with much detailed information about the Congress and its deliberations and legislation. Other sites: United States House of Representatives-- Official site of the U.S. House of Representatives and United States Senate-- Official site of the U.S. Senate. Note especially the following committees-- House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs; Senate Committee on Foreign Relations; House of Representatives Armed Services Committee; Senate Committee on Armed Services. The Congressional Budget Office may be of interest, for its nonpartisan "independent analyses of budgetary and economic issues to support the Congressional budget process." Note the Treaty Documents search feature for formal treaties to which the U.S. is a party.

• Customs and Border Protection-- "The single unified border agency of the United States." Information on the agency's border control and customs functions, with official statements, import, export, border security, and international travel information, regulations, statistics, and forms. Note the Customs Rulings Online Search System, a database of CBP rulings, plus trade-related links.

• Department of Agriculture-- The Foreign Agricultural Service maintains Countries and Regions and Commodities sections about the agricultural situation and agricultural trade overseas, by categories and countries. The Economic Research Service has a search facility and its Topics Page posts many international reports.

• Department of Commerce-- Economic news and statistics on international trade and the U.S. economy. The Bureau of Economic Analysis supplies online data, articles, and surveys on U.S. international commercial transactions and the U.S. position in the world economy. The International Trade and Investment Country Facts application "gives users a snapshot of statistics on trade and investment between the United States and another country by simply clicking on a world map."

• Department of Defense-- Department of Defense's starting point for U.S. military information online. Check the Publications page for online documents, such as the major National Defense Strategy. There is a News Stories section. The Joint Electronic Library provides access to official publications and research papers of the U.S. armed forces, through the Joint Chiefs of Staff site.

• Department of Homeland Security-- Charged with protecting the U.S. homeland from terrorist attacks, this organization posts information about its mission, policies, regulations, and actions. The Yearbook of Immigration Statistics posts statistics and reports on immigration matters.

• Department of Labor-- Note especially the Bureau of International Labor Affairs.

• Department of State-- Very extensive site, for an official view of U.S. foreign policy. Press Releases include official statements, media notes, and notices to the press. Abundant information for world travelers is found at the Bureau of Consular Affairs. The Countries and Areas section provides facts about most countries. Declassifed documents are available at the Freedom of Information Act Electronic Reading Room. There is a video section. The Websites of U.S. Embassies, Consulates, and Diplomatic Missions page links to the Web sites of U.S. diplomatic missions around the world. Also see the site of the American Foreign Service Association, the professional association of the U.S. Foreign Service. AFSA publishes the Foreign Service Journal for "an insider's view on how U.S. foreign policy is made." (All issues since 1919 are available in an archive.) Archives of past materials from the Department since the 1990s are also available. The Overseas Security Advisory Council posts advisories on security-related issues around the world as "the focal point for the exchange of unclassified information between the U.S. Department of State and the private sector in the U.S. on security-related incidents and threats overseas." The Department maintains a public online treaty compilation of texts of international agreements to which the U.S. is a party.

• Foreign Relations of the United States-- From the Office of the Historian in the U.S. Department of State, a series of volumes in the official documentary historical record of major U.S. foreign policy decisions and significant diplomatic activity. Recently-released volumes contain declassified records from all the foreign affairs agencies. Many volumes are online in full-text, from 1861 onward.

• Government Accountability Office-- "Provides Congress, the heads of executive agencies, and the public with timely, fact-based, non-partisan information that can be used to improve government and save taxpayers billions of dollars." Produces studies on international affairs topics touching U.S. foreign policy.

• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services-- Provides immigration and naturalization information, including laws, statistics, and forms.

• U.S. Mission to the United Nations-- From the Office of Press and Public Affairs, U.S. Mission to the United Nations, New York City.

• United States Trade Representative-- Responsible for developing and coordinating U.S. international trade, commodity, and direct investment policy, and leading or directing negotiations with other countries on such matters. Note the many full-text reports and trade agreements available.

• White House-- Official statements from the Executive Office of the President. A Briefing Room covers recent events, with an archive. The Compilation of Presidential Documents site of the Office of the Federal Register and the National Archives and Records Administration contains annual archives of the "official publications of materials released by the White House Press Secretary," going back to 1992. The National Archives Presidential Library Explorer searches the digital records of over a dozen presidents. Documents of the Barack Obama administration are being assembled by the National Archives and Records Administration at the Barack Obama Presidential Library. Parts of the White House archives from the George W. Bush administration are available online at the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. Parts of the White House archives from the Bill Clinton administration are available online at the Clinton Presidential Materials Project and the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum. Some of the web archives from the Obama administration can be found at the Barack Obama Presidential Library. The Donald J. Trump Presidential Library archives records from the Trump presidency. The presidential documents of the George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump administrations are also available online through the govinfo site of the U.S. Government Publishing Office. Vice-presidential records from these periods are available as well.