Korean Job Discussion Forums

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

I was reading about Obama issuing an executive order to eliminate the rule which forbids American funds from being used to fund foreign-aid organizations that promote abortion. All well and good, in my books, but I'm wondering how a president is able to do this. I know that as commander-in-chief, he can issue executive orders over the military, since that is how Truman desegregated the army. But how is it that this extends to foreign-aid issues? Wouldn't that have to go through congress?

Kuros · Joined: 27 Apr 2004

I asked my Con Law prof at the beginning of class.

Apparently, it has been through Congress. The Appropriations Bill for such foreign-aid allows the Executive Branch to define the regulations, presumably because it involves foreign affairs.

So Congress has given the President this power. And Congress has the clear Constitutional power to do so.

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

Rumple · Joined: 19 Sep 2007

Executive Orders are given to direct the executive branch of the government to do something in its power to do. The two most famous executive orders in modern history are Executive Order 9066 which interned the Japanese on the West Coast during WWII, and Executive Order 11246 which required Equal Employment Opportunity (Affirmative Action).

In Korea, executive orders are called "Presidential Decrees" and in many other countries, they are called "decrees" or "orders-in-council."