Executive Order 13965-Providing for the Closing of Executive Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government on December 24, 2020
Issued 2020-12-11 by Donald J. Trump
Plain-English Overview
AI-generated summary explaining what this action does, who it affects, and why it matters
Executive Order 13965, issued by President Donald J. Trump on December 10, 2020, provided for the closing of executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government on Thursday, December 24, 2020, the day before Christmas Day. This meant that employees of these federal agencies were excused from duty on that specific date. However, the order also allowed the heads of these departments and agencies to keep certain offices or parts of their organizations open, and require specific employees to report for duty, if needed for reasons of national security, defense, or other public need.
This executive action determined the operational status of a significant portion of the federal government on a particular day. Executive orders are a long-established way Presidents exercise power, used by every President since George Washington. They are grounded in Article II of the Constitution, which gives the President executive power and directs them to ensure laws are faithfully executed. While executive orders cannot create new law or contradict existing federal statutes, courts can review them to ensure they conform with the Constitution and federal law.
AI-generated summary for educational purposes
Constitutional Analysis
How this action fits (or doesn't) within Article II authority and existing law
Executive Order 13965 addresses "Executive Order 13965-Providing for the Closing of Executive Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government on December 24, 2020". 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
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