230 PART THREE • insTiTuTions of AmERiCAn GovERnmEnT
Executive Agreement
An international
agreement made by
the president, without
senatorial ratification, with
the head of a foreign state.
Chief Legislator
The role of the president
in influencing the making
of laws.with the other signatory governments. Sometimes, a president may decide to withdraw
a treaty if the senatorial changes are too extensive—as Woodrow Wilson did with the
Versailles Treaty in 1919 that concluded World War I. Wilson believed that the senatorial
reservations would weaken the treaty so much that it would be ineffective.Recent Treaty Efforts. Before September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush indicated
his intention to steer the United States in a unilateral direction on foreign policy. After the
terrorist attacks of 9/11, however, Bush sought cooperation from other nations in the war
on terror. Nonetheless, his attempts to gain international support for a war against Iraq to
overthrow that country’s government were not as successful as he had hoped.
In April 2010, President Obama and the then Russian president Dmitry Medvedev
signed the New START Treaty, a follow-up to earlier arms-control treaties. The ten-year
pact will cut the number of nuclear warheads allowed to each party by 30 percent, to
1,550 warheads. The number of permitted missile launchers will be cut in half. The treaty
includes a verification process. In December 2010, the U.S. Senate approved the treaty.Executive Agreements. Presidential power in foreign affairs is enhanced greatly by the
use of executive agreements made between the president and other heads of state.
Such agreements do not require Senate
approval, although the House and Senate
may refuse to appropriate the funds neces-
sary to implement them. Whereas treaties
are binding on all succeeding administra-
tions, executive agreements require each
new president’s consent to remain in effect.
Among the advantages of executive
agreements are speed and secrecy. The for-
mer is essential during a crisis. The latter is
important when the administration fears that
open senatorial debate may be detrimental
to the best interests of the United States or
to the interests of the president.^7 There have
been far more executive agreements (about
nine thousand) than treaties (about thirteen
hundred). Many executive agreements con-
tain secret provisions calling for American
military assistance or other support.Chief legislator
Constitutionally, presidents must recom-
mend to Congress legislation that they
judge necessary and expedient. Not all
presidents have wielded their power as
chief legislator in the same manner. SomePresident George H. W. Bush (1989–1993) meets with
the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia in 1990. George H. W. Bush is the father
of George W. Bush, making the Bush family a true political dynasty. It is not
uncommon for the children of elected officials to go into politics. (AP Photo/
Barry Thumma)- The Case Act of 1972 requires that all execu-
tive agreements be transmitted to Congress
within sixty days after taking effect. Secret
agreements are transmitted to the foreign
relations committees as classified information.
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