Executive Order 10783 Constitutional Neutral (+0.02)

Executive Order 10783—Transferring Certain Functions From the Department of Defense to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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Wednesday, October 1, 1958

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2 min read (365 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 Dwight D. Eisenhower on 1958-10-01, establishes federal administrative policy concerning "Transferring Certain Functions From the Department of Defense to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration." 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

▪ 426), and as President of the United States, it is ordered as follows: SECTION 1.

▪ All functions (including powers, duties, activities, and parts of functions) of the Department of Defense, or of any officer or organizational entity of the Department of Defense, with respect to the following are hereby transferred to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration: (a) The United States scientific satellite project (Project VANGUARD).

Constitutional & Societal Entities Impacted

🏛️ Armed Forces & Military Establishments 🏛️ Merchants, Importers & Commercial Enterprises 🏛️ Executive Departments & Federal Civil Servants 🏛️ Private Citizens & Property Owners 🏛️ Financial Institutions & Monetary Authorities

Total Words

365

2,310 characters

Estimated Read Time

2 min

@ 200 words / min

Flesch-Kincaid

17.7

Post-Grad reading level

Constitutional Polarity

+0.02

Framers' Alignment index

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Scholarly & Legal Citations

Exec. Order No. 10783, Dwight D. Eisenhower (Oct 1, 1958). Available at https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-10783-transferring-certain-functions-from-the-department-defense-the.

Official Document Text

Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)

Original Source →

By virtue of the authority vested in me by the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 (Public Law 85-568; 72 Stat. 426), and as President of the United States, it is ordered as follows: SECTION 1. All functions (including powers, duties, activities, and parts of functions) of the Department of Defense, or of any officer or organizational entity of the Department of Defense, with respect to the following are hereby transferred to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration: (a) The United States scientific satellite project (Project VANGUARD). (b) Specific projects of the Advanced Research Projects Agency and of the Department of the Air Force which relate to space activities (including lunar probes, scientific satellites, and super-thrust boosters) within the scope of the functions devolving upon the National aeronautics and Space Administration under the provisions of the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, and which shall be more particularly described in one or more supplementary Executive orders hereafter issued. SEC. 2. (a) The Secretary of the Treasury shall immediately transfer to the appropriation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for "Research and Development", from such appropriations of the Department of Defense as the Secretary of Defense shall designate, the following amounts: (1) In connection with the transfer of functions provided for in section 1 (a) hereof, such amounts as shall be determined by the Director of the Bureau of the Budget pursuant to section 202 (b) of the Budget and Accounting Procedures Act of 1950 (31 U.S.C. 581c (b)) and section 1 (k) of Executive Order No. 10530 of May 11, 1954. (2) In connection with the transfer of functions of the Advanced Research Projects Agency provided for in section 1 (b) hereof, $59,200,000. (3) In connection with the transfer of functions of the Department of the Air Force provided for in section 1 (b) hereof, $57,800,000. (b) In connection with the transfer of functions provided for in section 1, appropriate transfers of records, property, facilities, and civilian personnel shall be carried out as may be agreed upon from time to time by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Department of Defense. DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER THE WHITE HOUSE, October 1, 1958.