National Emergency Declarations

How many times have presidents declared a national emergency since the National Emergencies Act was passed in 1976?

NY Times

1. How accurate was your prediction?

2. Since 1976, what type of national emergency declaration was the most common?

3. the National Emergencies Act, passed in 1976, giving the president power to declare emergency, was passed by what branch?

4. In your opinion, did that branch give away too much of their power to another branch, thus upsetting the careful balance of powers created by the U.S. Constitution?

5. If that branch “unpassed” that law, How would they go about it?

6. Explain whether any other branch could “unpass” the National Emergencies Act.

7. How many military actions resulted from declarations of national emergency?

8. Based on this list of every single National emergency declaration since 1976, Were Democratic or Republican Presidents more likely to declare emergency?

9. Since 1976, the other military action as part of a national emergency was George W. Bush’s declaration of a national emergency on September 14, 2001, in response to the terror attacks of September 11, which ordered troops of the military reserve to assist in national security. Explain whether the terror attacks of September 11 and the current “national emergency” at the border are equivalent emergency threats to national security?

10. Trump’s Presidential Proclamation of the National Emergency begins with the following line, “The current situation at the southern border presents a border security and humanitarian crisis that threatens core national security interests and constitutes a national emergency." Does that seem like an accurate description of the situation at the southern border to you?

11. Trump’s proclamation goes on to say, “In particular, recent years have seen sharp increases in the number of family units entering and seeking entry to the United States,” Does a border wall seem like the best solution to this problem?

12. If there is a security and humanitarian crisis that threatens core national security why doesn’t the Congress act on this?

13. Considering that 16 states are already suing the government over the national declaration of emergency. Describe the argument an anti-federalism might make about the president Proclaiming a federal declaration of emergency and taking funds to build a wall?

14. 32 of the national emergency declarations are still active. Explain whether there Should be a sunset clause to these declarations (a mechanism to automatically end the emergency declaration after a certain time)?

15. AS PART OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY DECLARED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP, THE PRESIDENT WILL TAKE FUNDS TO BUILD THE WALL WHICH WERE APPROPRIATED BY CONGRESS FOR THE MILITARY. WHAT WILL THE MILITARY DO ABOUT THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IT IS SUDDENLY LOSING?

16. If you were president (I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT!!!!) Explain whether you would have declared a national emergency at the border.

Learning Extension

Read Trump’s actual Presidential Proclamation of the National Emergency.

Action Extension

Contact your member of Congress and let them know what you think about Trump’s Declaration.

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