Executive Order 12648 Constitutional Neutral (+0.02)

Executive Order 12648—Relating to the Implementation of the Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction

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Thursday, August 11, 1988

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1 min read (268 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 Ronald Reagan on 1988-08-11, establishes federal administrative policy concerning "Relating to the Implementation of the Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction." It outlines operative directives for executive department officers, delegating enforcement responsibilities and establishing official governance guidelines.

Constitutional Assessment: Reviewed under the Tenth Amendment and the principle of dual federalism, this order touches upon domains traditionally reserved to the sovereign States. The Framers would caution against any attempt to commandeer state officers or displace local police powers through federal executive fiat.

Key Directives & Operative Actions

▪ The Department of State is hereby designated as the Central Authority of the United States for purposes of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

▪ The Secretary of State is hereby authorized and empowered, in accordance with such regulations as he may prescribe, to perform all lawful acts that may be necessary and proper in order to execute the functions of the Central Authority in a timely and efficient manner.

Constitutional & Societal Entities Impacted

🏛️ Sovereign State Governments & Localities 🏛️ Executive Departments & Federal Civil Servants 🏛️ Private Citizens & Property Owners

Total Words

268

1,656 characters

Estimated Read Time

1 min

@ 200 words / min

Flesch-Kincaid

14.7

Post-Grad reading level

Constitutional Polarity

+0.02

Framers' Alignment index

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Scholarly & Legal Citations

Exec. Order No. 12648, Ronald Reagan (Aug 11, 1988). Available at https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-12648-relating-the-implementation-the-convention-the-civil-aspects.

Official Document Text

Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)

Original Source →

The United States of America deposited its instrument of ratification of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction ("Convention") on April 29, 1988. The Convention entered into force for the United States on July 1, 1988. Article 6 of the Convention imposes upon Contracting States an obligation to designate a "Central Authority" for the purpose of discharging certain specified functions. In order that the Government of the United States of America may give full and complete effect to the Convention, and pursuant to section 7 of the International Child Abduction Remedies Act, Public Law No. 100-300 (1988), it is expedient and necessary that I designate a Central Authority within the Executive branch of said Government: Now, Therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 301 of Title 3 of the United States Code and section 7 of the International Child Abduction Remedies Act, it is ordered as follows: Section 1. Designation of Central Authority. The Department of State is hereby designated as the Central Authority of the United States for purposes of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. The Secretary of State is hereby authorized and empowered, in accordance with such regulations as he may prescribe, to perform all lawful acts that may be necessary and proper in order to execute the functions of the Central Authority in a timely and efficient manner. RONALD REAGAN The White House, August 11, 1988. [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 10:57 a.m., August 12, 1988]