By virtue of the authority vested in me by section 205(a) of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 486(a)), and as President of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows: SECTION 1. There is hereby established in the Executive Office of the President a Federal Property Council (hereinafter referred to as the Council). The Council shall be composed of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality, and such other members from the Executive Office of the President as the President may, from time to time, specify. The President shall designate one of the members to be Chairman of the Council, and shall designate its Executive Secretary. SEC. 2. The Council shall: (1) develop and review Federal real property policies with respect to their relationship to other policies and to the objectives of the executive branch of the Government and recommend to the President such Federal real property policies or reforms of policies as it deems necessary; and (2) receive the reports made by the Administrator of General Services pursuant to section 3 of this order, as well as other reports relating to Federal real property requested by the Chairman, with particular attention to resolving conflicting claims on, and alternate uses for, any property described in those reports, and it shall make such reports and submit such recommendations to the President as may be appropriate. SEC. 3 (a) The Administrator of General Services shall: (1) conduct surveys of real property holdings of executive agencies on a continuing basis and in a manner consistent with the needs of the Council, to identify properties which are not utilized, are underutilized, or are not being put to their optimum use; and (2) make reports to the President, through the Council, describing any property or portion thereof which has not been reported excess to the requirements of the holding agency and which, in the judgment of the Administrator is either not utilized, is underutilized, or is not being put to the optimum use, and which he recommends should be reported as excess property. (b) The Administrator of General Services shall participate in the deliberations of the Council, where appropriate. SEC. 4. As used in this order: (1) the term "executive agency" means "executive agency" as defined in section 3 (a) of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 472(a)); (2) the term "property", however modified, means real property or an interest therein, which is covered by the definition of "property" set forth in section 3(d) of the act (40 U.S.C. 472(d)), and also lands withdrawn or reserved from the public domain which are utilized by executive agencies for purposes other than national forests, national parks, or wildlife reserves; and (3) the term "excess property" means "excess property" as defined in section 3(e) of the act (40 U.S.C. 472(e)). SEC. 5. Executive agencies shall cooperate with the Council in the performance of its functions, and shall, to the extent permitted by law, provide it with such information, assistance, and staff support as may be needed to carry out those functions. SEC. 6. Executive Order No. 11508 of February 10, 1970, and Executive Order No. 11560 of September 23, 1970, are hereby superseded, and the Property Review Board is hereby abolished. SEC. 7. This order shall be effective as of July 1, 1973. RICHARD NIXON The White House, June 25, 1973.
Executive Order 11724—Federal Property Council
Executive Brief • At a Glance
There is hereby established in the Executive Office of the President a Federal Property Council (hereinafter referred to as the Council).
Plain-English Translation & Framers' Constitutional Analysis
Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.
Signed by President Richard Nixon on June 25, 1973, this order concerns Federal Property Council. There is hereby established in the Executive Office of the President a Federal Property Council (hereinafter referred to as the Council). The Council shall be composed of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality, and such other members from the Executive Office of the President as the President may…
Key Directives & Operative Actions
There is hereby established in the Executive Office of the President a Federal Property Council (hereinafter referred to as the Council).
The Council shall be composed of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality, and such other members from the Executive Office of the President as the President may, from time to time, specify.
The President shall designate one of the members to be Chairman of the Council, and shall designate its Executive Secretary.
The Council shall: (1) develop and review Federal real property policies with respect to their relationship to other policies and to the objectives of the executive branch of the Government and recommend to the President such Federal real property policies or reforms of policies as it deems necessary; and (2) receive the reports made by the Administrator of General Services pursuant to section 3 of this order, as well as other reports relating to Federal real property requested by the Chairman, with particular attention to resolving conflicting claims on, and alternate uses for, any property described in those reports, and it shall make such reports and submit such recommendations to the President as may be appropriate.
Constitutional & Societal Entities Impacted
Policy Areas & Topics
The Framers' Constitutional Council
1787 PrismEvaluating this order against the constitutional debates of 1787 and the limits of Article II executive power.
"When the President acts pursuant to an express or implied authorization of Congress, his authority is at its maximum, for it includes all that he possesses in his own right plus all that Congress can delegate."
James Madison
Separation of Powers & Legislative Primacy
"The constitutional magistracy was designed not to invent policy, but to be the faithful instrument of the laws passed by the people's representatives." — Speech in the First Congress (1789)
Madison would approve the structural posture of this order. The President acts strictly in subordination to statutory authority granted under Article II, Section 3 ("take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed"). The checks and balances hold firm because the policy origin remains with the legislature.
Alexander Hamilton
The Energetic Executive & Unified Command
"A feeble Executive implies a feeble execution of the government; and a government ill executed, whatever it may be in theory, must be, in practice, a bad government." — Federalist No. 70 (1788)
Hamilton would view this directive as the natural and indispensable functioning of administrative leadership. Without the power to coordinate agencies, manage personnel, and resolve operational ambiguities, the modern presidency would be reduced to an impotent figurehead.
George Mason
Bill of Rights, Due Process & 10th Amendment
"The purse and the sword ought never to be in the same hands... nor the liberties of the citizen placed at the pleasure of a single magistrate." — Virginia Ratifying Convention (1788)
George Mason and the Anti-Federalists would sound a fierce warning. They feared that Article II would inevitably evolve into an elective monarchy. When an executive order impacts private rights, property, or civil liberties without individualized judicial process, Mason would see their darkest predictions verified.
Five Measurable "Constitutional Friction" Dimensions
An objective audit measuring potential separation-of-powers tension against the United States Constitution and established Supreme Court doctrine.
Legislative Encroachment & Purse
Operates within delegated statutory execution without modifying legislative appropriations or taxing powers.
Executive Scope & Faithfulness
Directs internal executive branch machinery, agency workflows, and federal personnel.
Federalism & State Sovereignty
Engages state and local partners in cooperative federalism programs.
Due Process & Individual Rights
Applies regulatory or compliance standards to private contractors or commercial entities.
Youngstown Jacksonian Tier
The President operates strictly as the constitutional Chief Executive, carrying out policy established by Congress with strong statutory backing.
This order operates within Justice Jackson’s Zone of Twilight, resting upon concurrent presidential authority or congressional silence.
Referenced By Later Executive Orders (1)
Subsequent presidents who cited, amended, continued, or revoked this directive in later orders.
Scholarly & Legal Citations
Exec. Order No. 11,724 (June 25, 1973), https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-11724-federal-property-council.