Executive Order 12765—Delegation of Certain Defense Related Authorities of the President to the Secretary of Defense

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 301 of title 3 of the United States Code, and my authority as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. The Secretary of Defense is hereby designated and empowered, without the approval, ratification, or other action by the President, to exercise the authority vested in the President by section 749 of title 10 of the United States Code to assign the command without regard to rank in grade to any commissioned officers of the same grade or corresponding grades are assigned to the same area, field command, or organization.

Sec. 2. The Secretary of Defense is hereby designated and empowered, without the approval, ratification, or other action by the President, to exercise the authority vested in the President by section 7299a(a) of title 10 of the United States Code to direct that combatant vessels and escort vessels be constructed in a Navy or private yard, as the case may be, if the requirement of the Act of March 27, 1934 (ch. 95, 48 Stat. 503) that the first and each succeeding alternate vessel of the same class be constructed in a Navy yard is inconsistent with the public interest.

Sec. 3. For vessels, and for any major component of the hull or superstructure of vessels to be constructed or repaired for any of the armed forces, the Secretary of Defense is hereby designated and empowered, without the approval, ratification, or other action by the President, to exercise the authority vested in President, by section 7309(b) of title 10 of the United States Code to authorize exceptions to the prohibition in section 7309(a) of title 10 of the United States Code. Such exceptions shall be based on a determination that it is in the national security interest of the United States to authorize an exception. The Secretary of Defense shall transmit notice of any such determination to the Congress, as required by section 7309(b).

Sec. 4. The Secretary of Defense may redelegate the authority delegated to him by this order, in accordance with applicable law.

Sec. 5. This order shall be effective immediately.

George Bush

The White House,

June 11, 1991.