Executive Order No. 11252, as amended, is further amended by repealing Sections 2 and 3, and by redesignating the current Section 4 as Section 2.
Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.
Signed by President Ronald Reagan on August 7, 1985, this order concerns Repealing Provisions Establishing an Administrative Position in the Food-for-Peace Program. Executive Order No. 11252, as amended, is further amended by repealing Sections 2 and 3, and by redesignating the current Section 4 as Section 2.
Executive Order No. 11252, as amended, is further amended by repealing Sections 2 and 3, and by redesignating the current Section 4 as Section 2.
Evaluating this order against the constitutional debates of 1787 and the limits of Article II executive power.
"When the President acts in absence of either a congressional grant or denial of authority, he can only rely upon his own independent powers, but there is a zone of twilight in which he and Congress may have concurrent authority."
Separation of Powers & Legislative Primacy
"Power is of an encroaching nature, and it ought to be effectually restrained from passing the limits assigned to it." — Federalist No. 48 (1788)
Madison would view this order with watchful scrutiny. Operating in the 'Zone of Twilight' where Congress is silent, each such directive establishes an administrative precedent that steadily expands the executive perimeter at the expense of legislative primacy.
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.
Bill of Rights, Due Process & 10th Amendment
"The president will be surrounded by flatterers and sycophants... and the great powers of the executive will gradually absorb the liberties of the people." — Cato IV (Anti-Federalist, 1787)
The Anti-Federalist prism advises continuous democratic vigilance. Even routine administrative directives aggregate centralized federal power away from town halls and state assemblies toward a distant executive apparatus.
An objective audit measuring potential separation-of-powers tension against the United States Constitution and established Supreme Court doctrine.
Operates within delegated statutory execution without modifying legislative appropriations or taxing powers.
Directs internal executive branch machinery, agency workflows, and federal personnel.
Engages state and local partners in cooperative federalism programs.
Focuses on internal governmental operations with no direct impairment of private rights or property.
The order relies on inherent Article II executive discretion, civil service management, or foreign diplomacy where Congress has neither expressly approved nor prohibited action.
This order operates within Justice Jackson’s Zone of Twilight, resting upon concurrent presidential authority or congressional silence.
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, including section 301 of title 3 of the United States Code, it is hereby ordered that Executive Order No. 11252, as amended, is further amended by repealing Sections 2 and 3, and by redesignating the current Section 4 as
RONALD REAGAN The White House, August 7, 1985. [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 4:29 p.m., August 7, 1985]
1 order cited directly in this text, plus related actions from this administration.
All functions of the Director of the Food-for-Peace Program, including those under Executive Order No. 10900 of January 5, 1961, as amended, and under the Presidential memorandum of January 24, 1961, relating to the Food-for-Peace Program (26 F.R. 781), are hereby transferred…
Lyndon B. Johnson There is established the Presidential Board of Advisors on Private Sector Initiatives. The Board shall be composed of not more than 30 members, to be appointed or designated by the President.
Ronald Reagan Executive Order No. 12503 is amended as follows: The title of the Order and Section l(a) are amended by deleting "Presidential Commission on Outdoor Recreation Resources Review" and inserting in lieu thereof "President's Commission on Americans Outdoors"; and Section 4(b) of…
Ronald Reagan There is hereby established the Nicaraguan Humanitarian Assistance Office (the Office). (b) The Office shall, unless otherwise extended, terminate on April 1, 1986, or one week following completion of disbursement of the funds made available under section 722(g) of the Act by…
Ronald Reagan There is hereby established, effective August 30, 1985, a board of three members to be appointed by the President to investigate this dispute. No member shall be pecuniarily or otherwise interested in any organization of railroad employees or any carrier.
Ronald Reagan There is established the President's Blue Ribbon Commission on Defense Management. The Commission shall be composed of no fewer than ten and no more than seventeen members appointed or designated by the President.
Ronald Reagan Exec. Order No. 12,527 (Aug. 7, 1985), https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-12527-repealing-provisions-establishing-administrative-position-the-food.
