Memorandum on Delegation of Authority for Drafting and Submission of the International Trade Data System Annual Report to the Congress
Issued 2015-10-20 by Barack Obama
Plain-English Overview
AI-generated summary explaining what this action does, who it affects, and why it matters
This memorandum transfers a routine paperwork responsibility from the President to the Secretary of Homeland Security. Specifically, it delegates the task of drafting and submitting an annual report to Congress about the International Trade Data System, as required by the SAFE Port Act of 2006. Instead of the President personally handling this reporting requirement, the Secretary of Homeland Security will now prepare and submit the report.
This action affects the internal workings of the executive branch, particularly the Department of Homeland Security, which will now take on this reporting duty. Congress will continue to receive the required annual report about the International Trade Data System, just from a different official within the administration.
This matters because it represents a standard administrative practice where presidents assign specific tasks to appropriate agency heads rather than handling every detail personally. The memorandum uses authority granted by existing law to reassign a congressional reporting requirement to the cabinet secretary whose department is most directly involved with the subject matter. It's a routine organizational decision that keeps government operations running efficiently without changing any actual policies or programs.
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 for Drafting and Submission of the International Trade Data System Annual Report to the Congress") provides direction to executive branch agencies. The stated purpose: "delegate to you the reporting function conferred upon the President by section 405 of the SAFE Port Act of 2006, Public Law 109–347." 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 Authority for Drafting and Submission of the International Trade Data System Annual Report to the Congress October 20, 2015 Memorandum for the Secretary of Homeland Security Subject: Delegation of Authority for Drafting and Submission of the International Trade Data System Annual Report to the Congress 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 to you the reporting function conferred upon the President by section 405 of the SAFE Port Act of 2006, Public Law 109–347. 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., October 22, 2015] N OTE : This memorandum was published in the Federal Register on October 23. Categories: Communications to Federal Agencies : International Trade Data System annual report, delegation of authority, memorandum . <