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Executive Order 13550 Constitutional Fidelity (+0.58)

Executive Order 13550—Establishment of Pakistan and Afghanistan Support Office

Barack Obama Barack Obama
•
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
•
2 min read (454 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 Barack Obama on 2010-08-18, establishes federal administrative policy concerning "Establishment of Pakistan and Afghanistan Support Office." 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

▪ There is established within the Department of State, in accordance with section 3161 of title 5, United States Code, a temporary organization to be known as the Pakistan and Afghanistan Support Office (PASO).
▪ The purpose of the PASO shall be to perform the specific project of supporting executive departments and agencies in strengthening the governments in Afghanistan and Pakistan, enhancing the capacity of those governments to resist extremists, and maintaining an effective U.S.
▪ The PASO shall be headed by a Director appointed by the Secretary.
▪ The PASO shall be based in Washington, D.C., Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

Constitutional & Societal Entities Impacted

🏛️ Sovereign State Governments & Localities 🏛️ Executive Departments & Federal Civil Servants
Total Words
454
2,890 characters
Estimated Read Time
2 min
@ 200 words / min
Flesch-Kincaid
15.8
Post-Grad reading level
Constitutional Polarity
+0.58
Framers' Alignment index
📜

Scholarly & Legal Citations 

Exec. Order No. 13550, Barack Obama (Aug 18, 2010). Available at https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-13550-establishment-pakistan-and-afghanistan-support-office.

Official Document Text

Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)

Original Source →
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 202 of the Revised Statutes (22 U.S.C. 2656) and section 3161 of title 5, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1. Establishment. There is established within the Department of State, in accordance with section 3161 of title 5, United States Code, a temporary organization to be known as the Pakistan and Afghanistan Support Office (PASO). Sec. 2. Purpose of the Temporary Organization. The purpose of the PASO shall be to perform the specific project of supporting executive departments and agencies in strengthening the governments in Afghanistan and Pakistan, enhancing the capacity of those governments to resist extremists, and maintaining an effective U.S. diplomatic presence in both countries. Sec. 3. Functions of the Temporary Organization. In carrying out the purpose set forth in section 2, the PASO shall: (a) support executive departments and agencies in efforts to enhance civilian control and stable constitutional government in Pakistan, to promote a more capable, accountable, and effective government in Afghanistan that serves the Afghan people and eventually can function, especially regarding internal security, with limited international support, and to stimulate an economy that will provide licit opportunity for the people of Pakistan and Afghanistan; (b) assume the functions assigned to the Afghanistan Support Office (ASO) as of the date of this order; and (c) perform such other functions related to the specific project set forth in section 2 as the Secretary of State (Secretary) may assign. Sec. 4. Personnel and Administration. The PASO shall be headed by a Director appointed by the Secretary. The PASO shall be based in Washington, D.C., Pakistan, and Afghanistan. The Secretary shall transfer from the ASO to the PASO the personnel, assets, liabilities, and records of the ASO. Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) authority granted by law to a department or agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. (d) The PASO shall terminate at the end of the maximum period permitted by section 3161(a)(1) of title 5, United States Code, unless sooner terminated by the Secretary. BARACK OBAMA The White House, August 18, 2010.