Quick Guide

• If a treaty is between 1776 and 1949, check Bevans
• If a treaty is more recent than 1949, check Treaties in Force
• For current information about treaties: check the Treaty Affairs web page or call the Office of the Legal Advisor, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520; phone (202) 647-1345

Treaty Information

Treaties in Force: A List of Treaties and Other International Agreements of the United States. (TIF). Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. Annual.
Location: Morris Library - Reference (Ref JX236 1929c) Latest ed.
Location: Internet (http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS4126)

• An index to treaties currently in force to which the United States is a party
• Text of treaties available in United States Treaties and Other International Agreements (UST) and Treaties and Other International Acts Series (TIAS)
• Arrangement: Bilateral (by country and subject) and Multilateral (by subject)
• Note: if a listing refers to TIAS, but gives no number, the treaty has not been published
• For unpublished treaties and agreements, see Senate Treaty Documents, Senate Executive Reports, the Congressional Record, the Treaty Affairs web page, or call the Office of the Legal Advisor, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520; phone (202) 647-1345

Thomas.
Location: Internet (http://thomas.loc.gov/)

Provides information on the status of treaties from 1968 (94th Cong) to present.

Treaty Collections

Treaties and Other International Acts Series. (TIAS). Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
Location: Morris Library - U.S. Documents Reference (S 9.10:)
Location: Internet (http://www.state.gov/s/l/treaty/tias/) selected years

• Pamphlet or "slip" form of treaties
• Expect 8-10 year time lag before publication
• Generally cited as TIAS
• Later the treaties will be published in the bound set UST

United States Treaties and Other International Agreements. (UST). Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
Location: Morris Library - U.S. Documents Reference (U.S. Doc S 9.12:)

• The official series for texts of United States Treaties
• Published annually since 1950
• Expect a 10-20 year time lag before publication
• Generally cited as UST
• Before publication in UST, treaties are available in TIAS

Senate Treaty Documents Series. (TD). Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
Location: Internet (via Thomas)
Location: Internet (via FDsys)
Location: Internet (via State Department Treaty Affairs)

Treaty documents (treaty doc) contain the text of treaties sent by the President for Senate ratification. Treaty documents are referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. This series is important because it is often the first place a treaty is published. It is included in the United States Congressional Serial Set, beginning with the 97th Congress (1981). Prior to the 97th Congress, see Senate Executive Documents. Indexed by: LexisNexis Congressional, and Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP). Selected individual treaties can be located in DELCAT -- searchable by keywords in the treaty title.

Senate Executive Reports. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
Location: Internet (via Thomas)
Location: Internet (via FDsys)

The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations report to the Senate, recommending whether the treaty should be ratified. Contains the text of the treaty. Included in the Serial Set since the 97th Congress (1980). Indexed by: LexisNexis Congressional.

Senate Executive Documents. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.

Location: Morris Library - U.S. Documents Serial Set

Contain the text of treaties sent by the President for Senate ratification. Also known as Executive (Lettered) Documents because they are identified by letter. Beginning with the 97th Congress in 1981, Executive Documents are called Treaty Documents. Indexed by: LexisNexis Congressional.

Treaties and Other International Agreements of the United States of America, 1776-1949. (Bevans). 13 vols. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1968-1976.
Location: Morris Library - U.S. Documents Reference (S 9.12/2:)

This set includes the text of treaties from 1776 to 1949. It is the definitive series for United States treaties (meaning treaties to which the United States was a signatory.) Exception: text of the Treaty of Versailles is included, even though it was never ratified by the United States. Volume 13 is an index by subject and country. Generally cited as "Bevans," after its editor, Charles I. Bevans. Largely replaces two earlier sets of treaties: Treaty Series, 1908-1945, which the library does not own, and Executive Agreements Series, 1929-1945.

Office of the Legal Adviser. U.S. Department of State.
Location: Internet (http://www.state.gov/s/l/)

Contact the Office of the Legal Adviser, Washington, DC 20520; phone (202) 647-1345.

Multilaterals Project.
Location: Internet (http://fletcher.tufts.edu/multilaterals.html)

A project from the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts.

The Avalon Project at the Yale Law School.
Location: Internet (http://avalon.law.yale.edu/)

Excellent site for full text of selected documents, dating from earliest times to the twentieth century. See the "American Diplomacy" collections.

Other Publications Useful for Treaties

Department of State Bulletin. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. 1939-1989.
Location: Library Annex - U.S. Documents (S 1.3:)

The Bulletin was official record of United States foreign policy from 1939 to 1989. Issues contain information about treaties and contain reprints of important treaties. Continued in part by Dispatch.

U.S. Department of State Dispatch. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. 1990-1999.
Location: Library Annex - U.S. Documents (S 1.3/5:)
Location: Internet (http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS1701)

Indexes and describes current treaty actions. Continues the U.S. Department of State Bulletin. Continued by various State Department Web pages, such as Office of the Legal Adviser.

More Information

Treaties. ASIL (American Society for International Law) Guide to Electronic Resources for International Law.
Location: Internet (http://www.asil.org/resource/treaty1.htm)

Research Guides: Treaties. Duke University School of Law Library.
Location: Internet (http://www.law.duke.edu/lib/ResearchGuides/treaties.html)

Hoffman, Marci. Researching U.S. Treaties and Agreements.
Location: Internet (http://www.llrx.com/features/ustreaty.htm)

Sears, Jean L. and Marilyn K. Moody. Using Government Information Sources: Electronic and Print. 3rd ed. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press, 2001.
Location: Morris Library - Reference (Ref Z1223 .Z7 S4 2001) Reference Desk

Congressional Documents: About. (GPO Access)
Location: Internet (http://www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/cdocuments/about.html)

U.S. Senate, Committee on Foreign Relations. Treaties and Other International Agreements: The Role of the United States Senate, A Study. (large file) 106th Cong, 2nd Sess. Senate Print 106-71. Prepared by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2001.
Location: Morris Library - U.S. Documents Microfiche (Y 4.F 76/2: S. PRT. 106-71)
Location: Internet (http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS11657)