Executive Order Tracker

Presidential executive orders usually attract more attention than the myriad other executive actions by a presidential administration, because they signal the intent and direction of the administration’s political and regulatory efforts. When a president issues an executive order, most of the resulting commentary focuses on whether its policy goals are good or bad. These evaluations are often predictable based on the partisan affiliation of the commentators.

We at the Center for Practical Federalism believe it’s important to consider not just an executive order’s immediate policy consequences, but its long-term effects on state and local authority. This authority has been unwisely and improperly diminished during decades of federal expansion, so it’s important to scrutinize the effects federal actions have on the federalist balance that was so important to the American founding, and which has undergirded American stability, freedom, and prosperity.

To that end, we offer this tracker of active executive orders that have a direct impact on American federalism and self-governance.

Executive orders typically provide broad instructions to the federal government, setting off a chain of activity across agencies. Without strong federalism safeguards, these orders can concentrate even more power in Washington—making future policy swings more dramatic with each new administration. To that end, this tool will not only scrutinize active executive orders, but also provide insights on how to integrate federalism principles into them, as a bulwark against federal agency overreach.

Tenille Martin 10/29/25 Tenille Martin 10/29/25

Taking Steps to End Cashless Bail to Protect Americans

Order 14342 directs federal agencies to compile a “list of States and local jurisdictions that have, in the Attorney General's opinion, substantially eliminated cash bail as a potential condition of pretrial release from custody for crimes that pose a clear threat to public safety and order.”

Tenille Martin 10/29/25 Tenille Martin 10/29/25

Prosecuting Burning of the American Flag

Order 14341 directs agencies to find ways, within the confines of First Amendment jurisprudence, to prosecute those who burn the American flag under applicable federal laws.

Tenille Martin 10/29/25 Tenille Martin 10/29/25

Enabling Competition in the Commercial Space Industry

Order 14335 aims to increase development of U.S. commercial space launch capacity by directing federal agencies to examine possibilities to use federal facilities and lands for this purpose, and to expedite environmental and other approvals.

Tenille Martin 10/29/25 Tenille Martin 10/29/25

Ending Crime and Disorder on America's Streets

Order 14321 addresses widescale mental illness and substance abuse among America’s homeless by directing federal agencies to find ways to facilitate the entry of more such individuals into treatment facilities.

Tenille Martin 8/14/25 Tenille Martin 8/14/25

Saving College Sports

This order (14322) declares that the future of college athletics is under “mortal threat” due to donor-driven Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) payments, frequent player transfers, and a patchwork of state laws that have undermined the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) ability to maintain consistent rules.

Tenille Martin 8/14/25 Tenille Martin 8/14/25

Accelerating Federal Permitting of Data Center Infrastructure

This order (14318) directs federal agencies to fast-track permitting for large-scale artificial intelligence (AI) data centers and the supporting infrastructure they require, such as transmission lines, natural gas pipelines, and semiconductor facilities.