Executive Order 13906-Amending Executive Order 13803-Reviving the National Space Council
Issued 2020-02-13 by Donald J. Trump
Plain-English Overview
AI-generated summary explaining what this action does, who it affects, and why it matters
On February 12, 2020, President Donald J. Trump issued Executive Order 13906. This order amends a previous executive order that revived the National Space Council. Specifically, it changes the membership of the Council and removes a requirement for it to submit quarterly reports. The updated membership includes various high-ranking officials such as the Secretaries of State, Defense, Commerce, Transportation, Energy, and Homeland Security, along with the Director of National Intelligence, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Administrator of NASA, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, among others.
This action primarily affects the internal structure and operations of the National Space Council, a body within the executive branch. By altering its membership, the order changes which government leaders participate in the Council's work, and by revoking the reporting requirement, it modifies how the Council communicates its activities. Executive orders are a long-established way for Presidents to direct the executive branch, grounded in their constitutional authority. However, they cannot create new laws or contradict existing federal statutes, and courts can review them for compliance with the Constitution and federal law.
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Constitutional Analysis
How this action fits (or doesn't) within Article II authority and existing law
Executive Order 13906 addresses "Executive Order 13906-Amending Executive Order 13803-Reviving the National Space Council". Executive orders are a long-established exercise of presidential power, used by every President since George Washington. They are grounded in Article II of the Constitution, which vests executive power in the President and directs them to "take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed."
Executive orders cannot create new law, contradict existing federal statutes, or exceed the President's constitutional authority. The legitimacy of any specific order depends on whether it operates within statutory authority Congress has delegated, directs the executive branch on matters within its constitutional purview, or attempts to substitute executive policy for legislative choices. Courts can and do review executive orders for conformity with the Constitution and federal law.
Official Summary
Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2020 Executive Order 13906—Amending Executive Order 13803—Reviving the National Space Council February 13, 2020 By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1 . Membership of the Council . Section 2(b) of Executive Order 13803 of June 30, 2017 (Reviving the National Space Council) is hereby amended to read as follows: "(b) The Council shall be composed of the following members: (i) The Vice President, who shall be Chair of the Council; (ii) The Secretary of State; (iii) The Secretary of Defense; (iv) The Secretary of Commerce; (v) The Secretary of Transportation; (vi) The Secretary of Energy; (vii) The Secretary of Homeland Security; (viii) The Director of National Intelligence; (ix) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget; (x) The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs; (xi) The Assistant to the President for Economic Policy; (xii) The Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy; (xiii) The Administrator of the Na