Memorandum on Delegation of Authority Pursuant to Section 704 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016
Issued 2016-03-18 by Barack Obama
Plain-English Overview
AI-generated summary explaining what this action does, who it affects, and why it matters
This memorandum transfers specific presidential responsibilities to the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center. Congress had given the President certain functions and authorities through Section 704 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, which is a federal spending law. Rather than handle these duties directly, President Obama assigned them to the head of the National Counterterrorism Center to carry out.
This action affects the National Counterterrorism Center and its director, who now has the authority to perform whatever tasks Section 704 required the President to do. The source does not specify what those particular tasks are, only that they relate to appropriations and counterterrorism operations.
This matters because it shows how presidents manage government operations by distributing workload within the executive branch. The memorandum is an administrative tool that allows specialized agencies to handle technical responsibilities that would otherwise fall to the President personally. It represents routine delegation of authority that helps government function more efficiently.
AI-generated summary for educational purposes
Constitutional Analysis
How this action fits (or doesn't) within Article II authority and existing law
This presidential memorandum ("Memorandum on Delegation of Authority Pursuant to Section 704 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016") provides direction to executive branch agencies. The stated purpose: "delegate the functions and authorities vested in the President by section 704 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (Public Law 114–113), to the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center." Presidential memoranda function similarly to executive orders but are typically more narrow in scope, addressing specific agencies or implementation details. The President's authority to direct executive branch operations is grounded in Article II of the Constitution.
Memoranda are a routine administrative tool. They guide agencies on priorities, interpretation of statutes, and implementation procedures. As long as they operate within the bounds of existing law and respect congressional mandates, they are a standard exercise of presidential power that every modern administration has used.
Official Summary
Administration of Barack Obama, 2016 Memorandum on Delegation of Authority Pursuant to Section 704 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 March 18, 2016 Memorandum for the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center Subject: Delegation of Authority Pursuant to Section 704 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I hereby delegate the functions and authorities vested in the President by section 704 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (Public Law 114–113), to the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center. You are authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register . B ARACK O BAMA [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., March 22, 2016] N OTE : This memorandum was published in the Federal Register on March 23. Categories: Communications to Federal Agencies : Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, delegation of authority, memorandu