By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to provide for the carrying out of the provisions of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Public Law 93-112, section 501(a)-(f), as amended (29 U.S.C. 791(a)-(f)), and in order to add two Vice Chair positions to the four already provided to the "President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities," it is hereby ordered that: (1) The first sentence of section 1(b) of Executive Order No. 12640 be amended by deleting the words "four Vice Chairmen" and inserting the words "six Vice Chairs" in lieu thereof; and (2) The words "Vice Chair" or "Vice Chairs" be inserted in lieu of the words "Vice Chairman" and "Vice Chairmen," respectively, wherever such words appear in Executive Order No. 12640. William J. Clinton The White House, January 20, 1995. [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 2:04 p.m., January 20, 1995]
Executive Order 12945 🏛️✅ Zone 1: Maximum Authority Constitutional Fidelity (+0.23)
📜 Art. II §3: Faithful Execution of Statutory Law
Executive Order 12945—Amendment to Executive Order No. 12640
Executive Brief • At a Glance
⏱️ 1 min read (161 words) •
● In Effect
🎯 Primary Mandate
The first sentence of section 1(b) of Executive Order No. 12640 be amended by deleting the words "four Vice Chairmen" and inserting the words "six Vice Chairs" in lieu thereof; and (2) The words "Vice Chair" or "Vice Chairs" be inserted in lieu of the words "Vice Chairman" and "Vice Chairmen," respectively, wherever such words appear in Executive Order No. 12640.
⚖️ Constitutional Footing
🏛️✅ Zone 1: Maximum Authority
Express or Implied Congressional Authorization
📜 Art. II §3: Faithful Execution of Statutory Law
🏛️ Scope & Affected Sectors
Private Citizens & Property Owners
Plain-English Translation & Framers' Constitutional Analysis
Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.
Signed by President William J. Clinton on January 20, 1995, this order concerns Amendment to Executive Order No. 12640. (1) The first sentence of section 1(b) of Executive Order No. 12640 be amended by deleting the words "four Vice Chairmen" and inserting the words "six Vice Chairs" in lieu thereof; and (2) The words "Vice Chair" or "Vice Chairs" be inserted in lieu of the words "Vice Chairman" and "Vice Chairmen," respectively, wherever such words appear in Executive Order No. 12640.
Constitutional Assessment: An early statesman would view this measure favorably under Article II, Section 3 (the Take Care Clause). The President operates strictly within the ambit of executing established laws and supervising departmental subordinates, respecting the supremacy of the legislative branch without fabricating novel statutory obligations.
Key Directives & Operative Actions
▪
The first sentence of section 1(b) of Executive Order No. 12640 be amended by deleting the words "four Vice Chairmen" and inserting the words "six Vice Chairs" in lieu thereof; and (2) The words "Vice Chair" or "Vice Chairs" be inserted in lieu of the words "Vice Chairman" and "Vice Chairmen," respectively, wherever such words appear in Executive Order No. 12640.
Constitutional & Societal Entities Impacted
🏛️ Private Citizens & Property Owners
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.
🏛️✅ Zone 1 (Maximum Authority)
§
"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."
— Justice Robert H. Jackson, Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer (1952) Express or Implied Congressional Authorization
JM
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.
Madisonian Stance: Concurring (Statutory)
AH
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.
Hamiltonian Stance: Supportive of Execution
GM
George Mason
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.
Anti-Federalist Stance: Eternal Vigilance Required
📐
Five Measurable "Constitutional Friction" Dimensions
An objective audit measuring potential separation-of-powers tension against the United States Constitution and established Supreme Court doctrine.
🛡️ High Constitutional Concordance
28 / 100 friction index
Dimension 1 • Art. I, §1 & §8
Low Friction
Legislative Encroachment & Purse
Operates within delegated statutory execution without modifying legislative appropriations or taxing powers.
Benchmark: Power of the purse, taxes/tariffs, and rule of law reserved to Congress.
Dimension 2 • Art. II, §1 & §3
Moderate Friction
Executive Scope & Faithfulness
Directs internal executive branch machinery, agency workflows, and federal personnel.
Benchmark: Faithfully execute laws enacted by Congress vs. unilateral decree.
Dimension 3 • 10th Amendment
Moderate Friction
Federalism & State Sovereignty
Engages state and local partners in cooperative federalism programs.
Benchmark: Police powers and un-delegated responsibilities reserved to the States.
Dimension 4 • 5th & 14th Amendments
Low Friction
Due Process & Individual Rights
Focuses on internal governmental operations with no direct impairment of private rights or property.
Benchmark: Protection of private property, contracts, liberty, and procedural justice.
Dimension 5 • Separation of Powers
Low Friction
Youngstown Jacksonian Tier
The President operates strictly as the constitutional Chief Executive, carrying out policy established by Congress with strong statutory backing.
Benchmark: Express or Implied Congressional Authorization
⚖️
Audit Synthesis
This order operates in close harmony with statutory authority and standard Article II supervisory execution.
Weighted composite: Art. I (25%), Art. II (25%), Federalism (15%), Due Process (15%), Youngstown (20%).
ℹ️
How to read these dimensions: Executive power expands whenever an administration acts without explicit statutory authorization from Congress (Article I), touches upon police powers historically reserved to the states (Tenth Amendment), or limits private rights and property without judicial process. A low friction score indicates strict concordance with enacted law; a high friction score highlights orders testing the limits of presidential discretion.
Total Words
161
956 characters
Estimated Read Time
1 min
@ 200 words / min
Flesch-Kincaid
13.3
College Level
Text size:
Related Executive Orders
1 order cited directly in this text, plus related actions from this administration.
EO 12640 Revoked May 10, 1988
⚖️✨ Zone 2 (Zone of Twilight) Constitutional Neutral
Executive Order 12640—The President's Committee on Employment of People With Disabilities
📜 Art. II §2: Commander-in-Chief Supervisory Authority
There is hereby established the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities (hereinafter referred to as the Committee or as the President's Committee).
Ronald Reagan Post-Graduate Legal • 8m
EO 12946 Revoked Jan 20, 1995
🏛️✅ Zone 1 (Maximum Authority) Fidelity (+0.41)
Executive Order 12946—President's Advisory Board on Arms Proliferation Policy
📜 Art. II §2: Commander-in-Chief Supervisory Authority
There is established within the Department of Defense the "President's Advisory Board on Arms Proliferation Policy" ("Board"). The Board shall consist of five members who shall be appointed by the President from among persons in private life who are noted for their stature and…
William J. Clinton College Level • 3m
EO 12947 Revoked Jan 23, 1995
🏛️✅ Zone 1 (Maximum Authority) Constitutional Neutral
Executive Order 12947—Prohibiting Transactions With Terrorists Who Threaten To Disrupt the Middle East Peace Process
📜 Art. I §8: Delegated Tariff & Commerce Execution
Except to the extent provided in section 203(b) (3) and (4) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1702(b) (3) and (4)) and in regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may be issued pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract entered into or any license or permit granted…
William J. Clinton Post-Graduate Legal • 4m
EO 12948 Jan 30, 1995
🏛️✅ Zone 1 (Maximum Authority) Fidelity (+0.23)
Executive Order 12948—Amendment to Executive Order No. 12898
📜 Art. II §3: Faithful Execution of Statutory Law
-103(e) of that order is amended by deleting the phrase "Within 12 months of the date of this order," and inserting the phrase "By March 24, 1995," in lieu thereof and by deleting, in the second sentence of section 1-103(e), the phrase "During the 12 month period from the date…
William J. Clinton High School • 1m
EO 12949 Amended Feb 9, 1995
🏛️✅ Zone 1 (Maximum Authority) Fidelity (+0.23)
Executive Order 12949—Foreign Intelligence Physical Searches
📜 Art. II §2: Commander-in-Chief Supervisory Authority
Pursuant to section 302(a)(1) of the Act, the Attorney General is authorized to approve physical searches, without a court order, to acquire foreign intelligence information for periods of up to one year, if the Attorney General makes the certifications required by that section.
William J. Clinton Post-Graduate Legal • 2m
EO 12944 Superseded Dec 28, 1994
🏛️✅ Zone 1 (Maximum Authority) Fidelity (+0.23)
Executive Order 12944—Adjustments of Certain Rates of Pay and Allowances
📜 Art. I §8: Delegated Tariff & Commerce Execution
The rates of basic pay or salaries of the statutory pay systems (as defined in 5 U.S.C. 5302(1)) are set forth on the schedules attached hereto and made a part hereof: (a) The General Schedule (5 U.S.C. 5332(a)) at Schedule 1; (b) The Foreign Service Schedule (22 U.S.C. 3963)…
William J. Clinton College Level • 4m
📜
Scholarly & Legal Citations
Exec. Order No. 12,945, 60 Fed. Reg. 4527 (Jan. 20, 1995).
