The executive branch
national emergency
A formal declaration that unlocks standby powers Congress has already written into statute. Roughly 150 statutory authorities can be switched on this way.
In full
The National Emergencies Act of 1976 requires the President to say which specific authorities a declaration activates, to renew it annually, and to report spending. Congress reserved a mechanism to terminate one, but the Supreme Court's decision in INS v. Chadha (1983) meant that termination now takes a joint resolution the President can veto, which is why declarations have persisted for decades.
Also written as: emergency declaration
Where to go next
Keep going
Browse every term in the glossary, or see the vocabulary in motion in the How government works walkthroughs.
A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.