Memorandum on Delegation of Reporting Functions Specified in Section 1637(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015
Issued 2015-04-13 by Barack Obama
Plain-English Overview
AI-generated summary explaining what this action does, who it affects, and why it matters
This presidential memorandum transfers a specific reporting responsibility from the President to the Director of National Intelligence. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 required the President to provide certain reports to Congress, but this memorandum formally assigns that reporting duty to the Director of National Intelligence instead.
This action affects how the intelligence community communicates with Congress. Rather than reports going directly through the President's office, the Director of National Intelligence will handle the reporting requirements specified in the defense authorization law. This is an internal administrative arrangement within the executive branch.
This matters because it streamlines government operations by having the intelligence official most familiar with the subject matter handle the required congressional reporting. The memorandum represents a routine administrative practice where presidents delegate specific tasks to appropriate agency heads rather than personally managing every reporting requirement that laws assign to the presidency. It does not change what information must be reported to Congress, only who prepares and submits it.
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 Reporting Functions Specified in Section 1637(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015") provides direction to executive branch agencies. The stated purpose: "delegate the reporting functions conferred upon the President by section 1637(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291) to the Director of National Intelligence." 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, 2015 Memorandum on Delegation of Reporting Functions Specified in Section 1637(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 April 13, 2015 Memorandum for the Director of National Intelligence Subject: Delegation of Reporting Functions Specified in Section 1637(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 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 reporting functions conferred upon the President by section 1637(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291) to the Director of National Intelligence. You are authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register . B ARACK O BAMA Categories: Communications to Federal Agencies : National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015, memorandum delegating reporting functions . Subjects: Defense and national security : National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015; Intel