At the beginning of each new administration, changes are typically made to the existing policies, some come in the form of executive orders. Within the first 12 days of Barack Obama’s presidency he had signed 19 executive orders. At the 12 day mark, Donald Trump had signed 18.

The National Archives website states: “Executive orders are official documents, numbered consecutively, through which the President of the United States manages the operations of the Federal Government.”

At this time there have been a total of 18,694 executive orders issued in U.S. history. President Barack Obama gave a total of 276 orders in his time as president and George Bush Jr. before him gave 291.

Although an executive order is not a law, it can immediately begin being implemented and it looks a lot like a law. The purpose of the United States congress is to establish constitutional laws that the chief executive can enforce, but an executive order can bypass the entire congressional lawmaking process by signing a formal, written document.

Through constitutional law, the chief executive does have the power to make an executive order, but the power was given to be used in wartime when a president may need to make fast, important decisions without consulting all 535 members of the house and senate. While all presidents have used executive orders, only since Abraham Lincoln’s presidency have presidents used documented executive orders to implement policy and platform changes.

Since Donald Trump became president on Jan. 20 2017 the executive orders he has issued range from a 90 day suspension of citizens from seven countries, and plans to the repeal and rollback of the Affordable Care Act, which itself was an executive order made by Obama.

Trump has made no official executive order at this time that directly affects college students.
If you are concerned with Trump’s policies and wish to express your opinion to your state senator visit: https://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm?State=OR

McKayla Schneider | The Broadside

Contact: [email protected]