Executive Order 8246—Making Funds Available for the Protection of American Citizens in Foreign Countries During the Existing Emergency

Whereas the Department of State Appropriation Act, 1940 (53 Stat. 890), provides, in part, as follows:

"EMERGENCIES ARISING IN THE DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR SERVICE

"Emergencies arising in the Diplomatic and Consular Service: To enable the President to meet unforeseen emergencies arising in the Diplomatic and Consular Service, and to extend the commercial and other interests of the United States and to meet the necessary expenses attendant upon the execution of the Neutrality Act, to be expended pursuant to the requirement of section 291 of the Revised Statutes (31 U.S.C. 107), $175,000: Provided, That whenever the President shall find that a state of emergency exists endangering the lives of American citizens in any foreign country, he may make available for expenditure for the protection of such citizens, by transfer to this appropriation, not to exceed $500,000 from the various appropriations contained herein under the heading "Foreign Intercourse"; and reimbursements by American citizens to whom relief has been extended shall be credited to any appropriation from which funds have been transferred for the purposes hereof, except that reimbursements so credited to any appropriation shall not exceed the amount transferred therefrom."

And Whereas I find and declare that an emergency exists endangering the lives of American citizens in foreign countries within the meaning of the said Act:

Now, Therefore, by virtue of and pursuant to the authority vested in me by the above-quoted statutory provisions, and in order to meet such emergency and make funds available for the protection of American citizens in foreign countries, I hereby direct the Secretary of the Treasury, when so requested by the 'Secretary of State, to transfer on the books of the Treasury, for expenditure from the appropriation "Emergencies Arising in the Diplomatic and Consular Service," from any appropriation in the said Act under the heading "Foreign Intercourse," such sums not to exceed in all $500,000 as the Secretary of State may from time to time during the existing emergency find necessary; and funds so transferred shall be expended subject only to the requirement of section 29, of the Revised Statutes of the United States (31 U.S.C. 107).

FRANKLIN D ROOSEVELT

The White House,
September 8, 1939.