Executive Order 13253: Amendment to Executive Order 13223, Ordering the Ready Reserve of the Armed Forces to Active Duty and Delegating Certain Authorities to the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Transportation
President: George W. Bush
Added a delegation allowing the Transportation Secretary, then responsible for the Coast Guard outside Navy service, to exercise specified reserve, retired-member, enlistment, promotion and administration authorities invoked under EO 13223.
Status: In effect as amended.
Is Executive Order 13253 still in effect? Yes. Active as amended; underlying 2001 emergency continued through September 2027.
What does Executive Order 13253 do?
The order assigned these duties: Transportation Secretary — Exercise the delegated Coast Guard and reserve authorities without further presidential approval; Coast Guard — Administer affected reserve, retired and enlisted personnel actions.
Checked the amendment’s Coast Guard and reserve-personnel delegations against EO 13223 and EO 13286. Added the official September 8, 2026 continuation of the underlying Proclamation 7463 emergency through September 14, 2027.
Before and after
Before the order
EO 13223 activated reserve and personnel authorities after the September 2001 attacks but did not contain this full Coast Guard delegation.
After the order
EO 13253 extended the Coast Guard delegation under EO 13223; later orders transferred the relevant function to Homeland Security. The underlying Proclamation 7463 emergency was continued on September 8, 2026 for one year beyond September 14, 2026. The amendment remains subject to the invoked statutes and their limits.
Who had to do what
| Agency / office | Action | Timing / position |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation Secretary | Exercise the delegated Coast Guard and reserve authorities without further presidential approval | While the underlying authorities were invoked |
| Coast Guard | Administer affected reserve, retired and enlisted personnel actions | As operational needs required |
| President and Congress | Continue or terminate the underlying national emergency under the National Emergencies Act | At least annually |
What happened next
EO 13253 signed.
EO 13253 added the Coast Guard delegation to EO 13223.
EO 13286 reassigned the delegation to the Homeland Security Secretary.
EO 13814 updated statutory references in EO 13223.
The President continued the September 2001 national emergency for another year beyond September 14, 2026.
The President continued the underlying Proclamation 7463 emergency for one year beyond September 14, 2026.
Legal and source detail
How it works legally
EO 13253 delegated authorities; it did not independently call a named person or unit to active duty. The applicable title 10 and title 14 provisions, the National Emergencies Act and individual orders governed any personnel action. No order-specific merits judgment was located.
Sources by type
If a source is unavailable, first check the cited publisher or another official repository. The cited publisher remains the authority.
Primary and official sources
Orders, laws, court records and official implementation material.
- 10 U.S.C. § 12302 and EO 13223 notes (opens in a new tab) Official record
How we checked this
Last checked against the sources above on October 2, 2026. How we research →