Report: Obama eyeing executive order plans

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 (UPI) -- White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel says U.S. President Barack Obama is considering using his executive power to make political progress.

The New York Times reported the Obama administration is considering using executive orders to help end a partisan gridlock on key political issues such as energy and domestic policy.

"We are reviewing a list of presidential executive orders and directives to get the job done across a front of issues," Emanuel said Friday of the administration's ongoing efforts.

White House officials said Obama's new focus on the use of executive power reflects a normal progression from a president's first year in office to their second year.

"The challenges we had to address in 2009 ensured that the center of action would be in Congress," White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer said. "In 2010, executive actions will also play a key role in advancing the agenda."

The Times said Obama would not be first U.S. president to attempt to use executive power to end a political deadlock, as former U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush also employed such efforts during their presidencies.