According to the White House Central Files manual, this category was for "speeches, messages to Congress, addresses, talks and statements made by the President or read for him. Include background materials, drafts of speeches and rewrites, campaign speeches, press releases concerning speeches, clearances and speech suggestions and letters and telegrams of congratulations, support or criticism. Speeches by members of the White House staff, officials of Federal, State and Local government agencies, and individuals outside the government are also filed here."
Specific exceptions are: press conferences (see PR 16-2).
This category does not contain information on all presidential and staff speeches and remarks. Indeed, the drafts and background material on most presidential remarks made after November 1, 1975, are in the files of the White House Editorial Staff, which included the speechwriters. Many reading copies of presidential speeches, moreover, were retained in the files of the Staff Secretary. Of course, related material on a given speech or remark may be found in many locations, such as the files of White House staffers with a scheduling or policy interest. Most of Mr. Ford's public messages and statements have been published in Public Papers of the Presidents: Gerald R. Ford.
