Harry S. Truman photo

Statement by the President Upon Signing Resolution Terminating Additional Emergency Powers.

July 25, 1947

I HAVE today approved Senate Joint Resolution 123, providing for the repeal of certain temporary emergency and war statutes and for discontinuing operations under various permanent statutes which are effective only in time of war or national emergency. Under the terms of the new Act, certain wartime powers are ended immediately and others will terminate at stated times within a period of one year. Some 175 statutory provisions are affected.

This resolution is the result of joint studies made by the Attorney General and the Committee on the Judiciary of each House of the Congress, with the cooperation of the executive departments and agencies. It is part of a sound and systematic program for removing emergency and wartime powers of the Government, and is in accord with recommendations which I have previously made to the Congress on this subject.

The proclamation declaring the cessation of hostilities of World War II, issued on December 31, 1946, had the effect, under the law, of terminating operations under a large number of wartime statutes. The present bill makes suitable provision with respect to a number of additional statutes, the need for which has now ceased or will cease at a foreseeable future date.

The emergencies declared by the President on September 8, 1939, and May 27, 1941, and the state of war continue to exist, however, and it is not possible at this time to provide for terminating all war and emergency powers.

I have asked the Attorney General to continue his study of the problems involved in the termination of the remaining wartime and emergency legislation, as well as the other problems involved in declaring the end of the war and the end of the existing emergencies. We should complete the orderly reconversion of the machinery and operations of the Government to a peacetime basis as rapidly as practicable.

Note: As enacted, the joint resolution is Public Law 239, 80th Congress (61 Stat. 449).

Harry S Truman, Statement by the President Upon Signing Resolution Terminating Additional Emergency Powers. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/232104

Simple Search of Our Archives