Delegating authority to provide assistance for the Nicaraguan Resistance

This executive order delegates presidential authorities to executive branch officials regarding the transfer of unobligated defense funds to support the Nicaraguan Resistance (Contras). It authorizes the Secretary of Defense to designate and transfer funds, in consultation with USAID's Administrator, and gives OMB's Director authority to approve personnel details to USAID.

53 FR 39890

No PDF available for this document.

Impact dates

Oct 7, 1988
Order effective immediately

Key directives

Delegate to Secretary of Defense authority to transfer unobligated funds from accounts specified in Section 9011 of the Act (per Section 9006)
Delegate to Secretary of Defense authority to designate amounts of unobligated funds for use per Sections 9006, 9008, and 9014 of the Act
Delegate to OMB Director authority to approve detailing of personnel to USAID (per Section 4(d) of Public Law 100-276, as applied by Section 9014(d) of the Act)
Secretary of Defense must consult with USAID Administrator on fund transfers

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

Order effective immediately upon signing
Delegation of fund transfer authority to Secretary of Defense
Delegation of personnel approval authority to OMB Director

Near term (90d)

Potential execution of unobligated fund transfers from specified defense accounts

Long term

Continued U.S. support operations for Nicaraguan Resistance contingent on congressional appropriations and political developments

Risks & tensions

Text does not specify dollar amounts or precise fund sources, creating uncertainty about scale of transfers
Delegation pattern suggests effort to distance President from controversial Contra funding after Iran-Contra affair
Consultation requirement with USAID Administrator may create bureaucratic friction or delay
Near end of Reagan presidency; durability of policy dependent on successor administration