Executive Order 13822:Supporting Veterans

What the Executive Order Says

Executive Order (EO) 13822 is entitled "Supporting our veterans during their transition from uniformed service to civilian life" and it has 3 sections.  This EO was issued in January 2018.

Section 1

This section defines the policy which is that veterans need better access to mental healthcare services including suicide prevention resources.

Section 2

This section has 3 subsections.  (a) directs the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Homeland security to do something.  Doesn't really say what they should do.  (b) mandates that the group mentioned need to submit within 60 days a Joint Action Plan.  (c) mandates that a follow-up report on the progress of implementation of the Joint Action Plan be issued within 180 days.

Section 3

This section includes general provisions that limit the authority of the EO to ensure that it does not overstep legislative and constitutional limits.

My Commentary

I have looked on the internet for the Joint Action Plan and follow-up report since due to the age of this EO, it clearly should be available.  On the Veterans Affairs website, I found this updated action plan.  This plan defines 16 actions to be implemented that will support the reduction in suicides and mental health incidents for veterans.  I found this status update report dated July 9, 2018 although it is watermarked "DRAFT".  I would like to think that this had made a difference in at least some veteran's lives.  But it is not clear that there has been much success and since there does not seem to be any mandated report to follow up the implementations (while most of the 16 actions were "On track", none were expected to be completed until mid-2019), we may never know.

Recent Presidential Documents (EO 13816 and others)

Here are some recently issued Presidential Documents.

Executive Orders

Executive Order 13816

Executive Order (EO) 13816 is entitled "Revising the Seal for the National Credit Union Administration" and was issued on December 8, 2017.  This executive order changes the seal of the NCUA which had been established under EO 11580.  The EO goes into some detail about the symbols and other things that appear on the seal.  I am bemused that an EO had to be issued for such a thing.

Proclamations

• Proclamation 9684: National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, 2017, issued December 7, 2017 as required by law.
• Proclamation 9685: Human Rights Day, Bill of Rights Day, and Human Rights Week, 2017, issued December 8, 2017.  This proclamation states "We remember those suffering under the yolk[sic] of authoritarianism..." which leads me to believe authoritarianism, under the current administration, includes a breakfast buffet.
• Proclamation 9686: Wright Brothers Day, 2017, issued December 15, 2017 as required by law.

Determinations

• Determination 2018-1: Presidential Determination Pursuant to Section 1245(d)(4)(B) and (C) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, issued on November 15. 2017.  This is issued as a memo to the Secretaries of State, Treasury and Energy.  This is a repeat of Determination 2017-6 and continues the sanctions against Iran as per PL 112-81.
• Determination 2018-2: Suspension of Limitations Under the Jerusalem Embassy Act, issued on December 6, 2017.  This is also a repeat, in this case Determination 2017-07 as PL 104-45 requires that the exemptions are waived every 6 months.

Memoranda

Memorandum of December 8, 2017: Delaying Submission of the Small Business Administration Report Under the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015.  This memorandum is addressed to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration.  In accordance with the act (PL 114-125), a report has to be generated within 180 days.  However, this memorandum is directing the Chief Counsel to delay the report until after negotiations are completed.

Presidential Proclamations: April 2017

In this post, we look at a number Presidential Proclamations that were issued in April 2017.  Most of these are celebratory or commemorative in nature and do not include any new initiatives or set policy.

• Proclamation 9602: Loyalty Day, 2017, issued April 28, 2017 as required by law.
• Proclamation 9601: Small Business Week, 2017, issued April 27, 2017.
• Proclamation 9600: National Charter Schools Week, 2017, issued April 28, 2017.
• Proclamation 9599: Older Americans Month, 2017, issued April 28, 2017.
• Proclamation 9598: National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, 2017, issued April 28, 2017.
• Proclamation 9597: National Foster Care Month, 2017, issued April 28, 2017.
• Proclamation 9596: Jewish American Heritage Month, 2017, issued April 28, 2017.
• Proclamation 9595: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2017, issued April 28, 2017 as required by law.
• Proclamation 9594: Days of Remembrance of Victims of the Holocaust, 2017, issued April 24, 2017.
• Proclamation 9593: National Volunteer Week, 2017, issued April 21, 2017.
• Proclamation 9592: National Park Week, 2017, issued April 14, 2017.
• Proclamation 9591: National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day, 2017, issued April 7, 2017.
• Proclamation 9590: Pan American Day and Pan American Week, 2017, issued April 7, 2017.
• Proclamation 9589: Education and Sharing Day, U.S.A, 2017, issued April 6, 2017.
• Proclamation 9588: Honoring the Memory of John Glenn issued April 5, 2017.  This proclamation orders that flags be flown at half-staff in honor of John Glenn.
• Proclamation 9587: National Crime Victim's Rights Week, 2017, issued April 3, 2017.

Presidential Proclamations: May / June 2017

In this post, we will look at Presidential Proclamations issued in May and June of 2017.  Other than where noted and discussed, most of these proclamations are celebratory or memorial in nature and do not have any new initiatives or set policy.

Proclamation 9625: To Modify Duty-Free Treatment Under the Generalized System of Preferences and for Other Purposes.

This proclamation was issued on June 29, 2017.  It has 15  numbered paragraphs as a preamble and 8 numbered paragraphs of proclamation and then has an additional 5 annexes.  This proclamation modifies tariffs and duties imposed on goods imported from various countries.  Unfortunately, this is written in jargon and is difficult to explain in the issued form.  At some point, what it does is changes the rate of duty of widgets from China from 1% duty to 2% duty or something similar to that.  There is no easy way to figure it out by reading it and you have to know where to find what the HTS (Harmonized Tariff System) numbers refer to.  There's no doubt in my mind that the obfuscation in some cases was deliberate to ensure that the effects would be little understood until they hit (the effective date being July 1, 2017) as well as to blunt criticism of the administration.

Other May / June 2017 Proclamations:

• Proclamation 9624: Father's Day, 2017, issued June 16, 2017 as required by law.
• Proclamation 9623: Flag Day and National Flag Week, 2017, issued June 14, 2017 as required by law.
• Proclamation 9622: National Ocean Month, 2017, issued May 31, 2017.
• Proclamation 9621: National Homeownership Month, 2017, issued May 31, 2017.
• Proclamation 9620: National Caribbean-American Heritage Month, 2017, issued May 31, 2017.
• Proclamation 9619: Great Outdoors Month, 2017, issued on May 31, 2017.
• Proclamation 9618: African-American Music Appreciation Month, 2017, issued May 31, 2017.
• Proclamation 9617: Prayer for Peace, Memorial Day, 2017 issued May 24, 2017 as required by law.  This proclamation asks that a moment of silence be held and that flags be flown at half-staff.
• Proclamation 9616: National Maritime Day, 2017, issued May 19, 2017 as required by law.
• Proclamation 9615: Armed Forces Day, 2017, issued May 19, 2017 and notes that it supersedes Proclamation 9452.  There is no explanation evident why, for this particular day, the previous Proclamation has to be superseded each time.
• Proclamation 9614: World Trade Week, 2017, issued May 19, 2017.
• Proclamation 9613: National Safe Boating Week, 2017, issued May 19, 2017 as required by law.
• Proclamation 9612: Emergency Medical Services Week, 2017, issued May 19, 2017.
• Proclamation 9611: Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week, 2017, issued May 15, 2017 as required by laws.
• Proclamation 9610: National Defense Transportation Day and National Transportation Week, 2017, issued May 12, 2017 as required by laws.
• Proclamation 9609: Mother's Day, 2017, issued May 12, 2017 as required by law.
• Proclamation 9608: Military Spouse Day, 2017, issued May 12, 2017.
• Proclamation 9607: Public Service Recognition Week, 2017, issued May 5, 2017.
• Proclamation 9606: National Hurricane Preparedness Week, 2017, issued May 5, 2017.
• Proclamation 9605: National Day of Prayer, 2017, issued May 4, 2017 as required by law.
• Proclamation 9604: Law Day, USA, 2017, issued May 1, 2017 as required by law.
• Proclamation 9603: National Mental Health Awareness Month, 2017, issued May 1, 2017

Presidential Proclamations: July/August 2017

In this post we take a look at Presidential Proclamations from July and  August 2017.  Unless noted below, none of these create new initiatives or make policy decisions.

• Proclamation 9633: National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, 2017:  Issued August 31, 2017.
• Proclamation 9632: National Preparedness Month, 2017: Issued August 30, 2017.
• Proclamation 9631: Women's Equality Day, 2017: Issued August 25, 2017 to commemorate the anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment on August 26, 1920.
• Proclamation 9630: National Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Week, 2017: Issued August 20, 2017.
• Proclamation 9629: National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, 2017: Issued July 26, 2017 to commemorate the anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended the Korean war on July 27, 1953
• Proclamation 9628: Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 2017: Issued July 25, 2017 to commemorate the anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26, 1990.
• Proclamation 9627: Made in America Day and Made in America Week, 2017:  Issued July 17, 2017.
• Proclamation 9626: Captive Nations Week, 2017: Issued on July 14, 2017 as required by law.