International Emergency Economic Powers Act facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
International Emergency Economic Powers Act

Long title	An Act with respect to the powers of the President in time of war or national emergency.
Acronyms (colloquial)	IEEPA
Enacted by	the 95th United States Congress
Effective	December 28, 1977
Citations
Public law	95-223
Statutes at Large	91 Stat. 1625
Codification
Titles amended	50 U.S.C.: War and National Defense
U.S.C. sections created	50 U.S.C. ch. 35 § 1701 et seq.
Legislative history
Introduced in the House as H.R. 7738 by Jonathan Brewster Bingham (D–NY) on June 13, 1977 Committee consideration by House Foreign Affairs, Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Passed the House on July 12, 1977 (passed) Passed the Senate on October 11, 1977 (passed) with amendment House agreed to Senate amendment on November 30, 1977 (agreed) with further amendment Senate agreed to House amendment on December 7, 1977 (agreed) Signed into law by President Jimmy Carter on December 28, 1977
United States Supreme Court cases
Dames & Moore v. Regan, 453 U.S. 654 (1981)

The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), Title II of Pub.L. 95-223, 91 Stat. 1626, enacted October 28, 1977, is a United States federal law authorizing the president to regulate international commerce after declaring a national emergency in response to any unusual and extraordinary threat to the United States which has its source in whole or substantial part outside the United States. The act was signed by President Jimmy Carter on December 28, 1977.

Provisions

In the United States Code, the IEEPA is Title 50, §§1701–1707. The IEEPA authorizes the president to declare the existence of an "unusual and extraordinary threat ... to the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States" that originates "in whole or substantial part outside the United States." It further authorizes the president, after such a declaration, to block transactions and freeze assets to deal with the threat and requires the president to report to Congress every 6 months on the circumstances, threats and actions taken. In the event of an actual attack on the United States, the president can also confiscate property connected with a country, group, or person that aided in the attack.

IEEPA falls under the provisions of the National Emergencies Act (NEA), which means that an emergency declared under the act must be renewed annually to remain in effect.

The authority given to the President under the IEEPA does not grant him the ability to regulate or prohibit communication that "does not involve a transfer of anything of value", imports or exports of information or any informational materials, or transactions incidental to travel. Donations intended to relieve human suffering, such as food, clothing or medicine are also excluded unless the President specifically finds their inclusion necessary.

See also

• National Emergencies Act
• List of national emergencies in the United States