Presidential Message

Much of the President's official communication with Congress is accomplished in writing. He may submit a treaty to the Senate for ratification or a draft bill to Congress along with a letter requesting its enactment, or he may provide a required report to Congress on the operation of a program. The text of these Presidential messages sometimes can be found in the Congressional Record or the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents. If the message is on an important issue or involves a major legislative proposal, the House or the Senate may order the message printed for wider distribution, in which case it will appear as a House Document (H. Doc.) or a Senate Document (S. Doc.). A Presidential message transmitting a treaty to the Senate is printed as a Treaty Document, which will contain the text of the proposed treaty as well as any accompanying documentation or explanation.