The Constitution does not refer to executive orders and there is no statutory authority for them.15 But historically, any writing by the president giving directives to subordinates constitutes an executive order. In 1873, President Ulysses S. Grant issued an executive order setting forth guidelines for issuing executive orders, which exists today in revised form.16 The order must go to the Office of Management and Budget and then to the attorney general for approval before it’s signed by the president.
