Executive Order 11519—Calling Into Service Members and Units of the National Guard

WHEREAS certain employees of the Postal Service are engaged in an unlawful work stoppage which has prevented the delivery of the mails and the discharge of other postal functions in various parts of the United States; and

WHEREAS the laws of the United States, including Sections 707, 5102, 6001, and 6101 of Title 39, United States Code require that the business of the Post Office Department, including the expeditious processing and delivery of the mail, be regularly carried on; and

WHEREAS the aforesaid unlawful work stoppage has prevented and is preventing the execution of the aforesaid laws relating to the Post Office Department; and

WHEREAS the breakdown of the postal service in the numerous areas affected by the said unlawful work stoppage is a matter of grave national concern; and

WHEREAS I am charged by the Constitution of the United States to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, and I have determined that I am unable solely with the regular forces to cause the aforesaid laws to be executed:

Now, THEREFORE, I, RICHARD NIXON, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, including Sections 3500 and 8500 of Title 10 of the United States Code and Section 301 of Title 3 of the United States Code, do hereby order as follows:

SECTION 1. The Secretary of Defense is authorized and directed to take all appropriate steps to respond to requests of the Postmaster General for assistance in restoring and maintaining Postal service and to execute the Postal laws of the United States.

SEC. 2. In furtherance of the authorization and direction contained in section 1 hereof, the Secretary of Defense is authorized to use such of the Armed Forces of the United States as he may deem necessary.

SEC. 3. I hereby authorize and direct the Secretary of Defense to call into the active military service of the United States, as he may deem appropriate to carry out the purposes of this order, any or all of the units of the Army National Guard and of the Air National Guard that he deems appropriate to serve in the active military service of the United States for an indefinite period and until relieved by appropriate orders. In carrying out the provisions of this order, the Secretary of Defense is authorized to use the units, and members thereof, of the Army National Guard and of the Air National Guard called into the active military service of the United States pursuant to this section.

SEC. 4. The Secretary of Defense is authorized to delegate within the Department of Defense any of the authority conferred upon him by this Executive order.

RICHARD NIXON

The White House

March 23, 1970