Presidential Emergency Action Messages

E438398

Presidential Emergency Action Messages are top-secret, pre-drafted directives intended for use by the U.S. president to rapidly exercise extraordinary powers and maintain government continuity during severe national emergencies.

All labels observed (2)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (51)

Predicate Object
instanceOf United States federal government document
continuity of government instrument
emergency directive
accessRestrictedTo cleared national security officials
select legal and policy staff
alsoKnownAs PEAMs NERFINISHED
Presidential Emergency Action Documents NERFINISHED
associatedWith continuity of government planning
continuity of operations planning
national security emergency preparedness
nuclear war planning
country United States of America
surface form: United States
creator United States executive branch NERFINISHED
developedDuring Cold War NERFINISHED
feature communications and transmission protocols
continuity of government guidance
continuity of operations guidance
implementation instructions for federal agencies
pre-drafted language for rapid presidential approval
references to emergency legal authorities
scenario-based planning assumptions
legalBasis Article II of the United States Constitution NERFINISHED
Communications Act of 1934 NERFINISHED
Defense Production Act NERFINISHED
Insurrection Act NERFINISHED
National Emergencies Act NERFINISHED
continuity of government directives and executive orders
statutory emergency powers of the president
mayInclude orders concerning control or prioritization of communications systems
orders concerning control or prioritization of transportation systems
orders concerning domestic security measures
orders concerning emergency use of federal resources
orders concerning mobilization of military forces
orders to relocate or protect key government officials
orders to suspend or modify normal government operations
overseenBy Department of Defense NERFINISHED
Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel NERFINISHED
Federal Emergency Management Agency NERFINISHED
National Security Council NERFINISHED
White House Counsel’s Office NERFINISHED
purpose enable rapid exercise of extraordinary presidential powers during severe national emergencies
maintain continuity of government
provide pre-drafted legal and operational guidance to the president
securityClassification Top Secret
compartmented
status not publicly released in full
subjectOf Freedom of Information Act litigation NERFINISHED
civil liberties and separation-of-powers debates
congressional oversight interest
usedBy President of the United States NERFINISHED
senior national security officials

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Emergency Alert System in the United States canTransmit Presidential Emergency Action Messages
subject surface form: Emergency Alert System (United States)
Carl Solomon notableWork Presidential Emergency Action Messages
this entity surface form: Emergency Messages