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Executive Order 10346 Constitutional Neutral (+0.02)

Executive Order 10346—Preparation by Federal Agencies of Civil Defense Emergency Plans

Harry S Truman Harry S Truman
•
Thursday, April 17, 1952
•
2 min read (428 words)

Plain-English Translation & Framers' Constitutional Analysis

Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.

This executive order, signed by President Harry S Truman on 1952-04-17, establishes federal administrative policy concerning "Preparation by Federal Agencies of Civil Defense Emergency Plans." It outlines operative directives for executive department officers, delegating enforcement responsibilities and establishing official governance guidelines.

Constitutional Assessment: Scrutinized through Article II, Section 2, this action exercises the President's constitutional role as Commander in Chief. Early Framers recognized broad executive discretion in commanding military forces during conflict, provided it remains bounded by congressional declarations and respects civilian domestic courts.

Key Directives & Operative Actions

▪ The plans of each department and agency shall take into consideration the essential military requirements of the Department of Defense with respect to such department or agency.
▪ In addition to the plans required by section 1 hereof, each Federal department and agency shall prepare plans for maintaining the continuity of its essential functions at the seat of Government and elsewhere during the existence of a civil-defense emergency.
▪ The personnel, materials, and facilities required for this purpose shall be exclusive of the personnel, materials, and facilities required for the execution of the plans prepared pursuant to section 1 of this order.
▪ In the preparation of the continuity plans required by this section, each department and agency shall consult with the Federal Civil Defense Administration with respect to the civil-defense aspects of its functions.

Constitutional & Societal Entities Impacted

🏛️ Armed Forces & Military Establishments 🏛️ Sovereign State Governments & Localities 🏛️ Executive Departments & Federal Civil Servants 🏛️ Private Citizens & Property Owners
Total Words
428
2,790 characters
Estimated Read Time
2 min
@ 200 words / min
Flesch-Kincaid
22.8
Post-Grad reading level
Constitutional Polarity
+0.02
Framers' Alignment index
📜

Scholarly & Legal Citations 

Exec. Order No. 10346, Harry S Truman (Apr 17, 1952). Available at https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-10346-preparation-federal-agencies-civil-defense-emergency-plans.

Official Document Text

Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)

Original Source →
By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950, approved January 12, 1951 (Public Law 920, 81st Congress), and as President of the United States and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows: SECTION 1. In furtherance of national planning for the utilization of the personnel, materials, facilities, and services of the Federal departments and agencies which will be required in the event of a civil-defense emergency, each Federal department and agency shall, in consultation with the Federal Civil Defense Administration, prepare plans for providing its personnel, materials, facilities, and services pursuant to the provisions of section 302 of the said Federal Civil Defense Act during the existence of a civil-defense emergency. The plans of each department and agency shall take into consideration the essential military requirements of the Department of Defense with respect to such department or agency. SEC. 2. In addition to the plans required by section 1 hereof, each Federal department and agency shall prepare plans for maintaining the continuity of its essential functions at the seat of Government and elsewhere during the existence of a civil-defense emergency. The personnel, materials, and facilities required for this purpose shall be exclusive of the personnel, materials, and facilities required for the execution of the plans prepared pursuant to section 1 of this order. In the preparation of the continuity plans required by this section, each department and agency shall consult with the Federal Civil Defense Administration with respect to the civil-defense aspects of its functions. In order to achieve uniformity of planning for the continuity of essential functions, the National Security Resources Board shall establish such standards and policies as it may from time to time deem desirable. That portion of the continuity plans of a department or agency which involves its functions at the seat of Government shall become effective upon approval by the President, and that portion, if any, which involves functions performed elsewhere shall become effective upon approval by the head of the department or agency concerned. SEC. 3. The Federal Civil Defense Administrator shall assist the departments and agencies by indicating the types of personnel, materials, facilities, and services considered useful for civil-defense purposes in time of emergency; arrange for the use of such personnel, materials, facilities, and services as are not required for maintaining the continuity of the essential functions of the departments and agencies; and coordinate such arrangements with national, State, and local civil-defense plans. HARRY S. TRUMAN THE WHITE HOUSE, April 17, 1952