Re: Well done!
As the ban was enacted by Congress through law, the president has little say in the matter.
from "CONSOLIDATED AND FURTHER CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2012"
"Sec. 539. <<NOTE: China.>> (a) None of the funds made available by
this Act may be used for the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) or the Office of Science and Technology Policy
(OSTP) to develop, design, plan, promulgate, implement, or execute a
bilateral policy, program, order, or contract of any kind to
participate, collaborate, or coordinate bilaterally in any way with
China or any Chinese-owned company unless such activities are
specifically authorized by a law enacted after the date of enactment of
this Act."
with the exclusion clause of
"(c) <<NOTE: Certification.>> The limitations described in
subsections (a) and (b) shall not apply to activities which NASA or OSTP
have certified pose no risk of resulting in the transfer of technology,
data, or other information with national security or economic security
implications to China or a Chinese-owned company."
but also the rather ungenerous (no biscuits allowed?)
" (b) <<NOTE: Applicability.>> The limitation in subsection (a) shall
also apply to any funds used to effectuate the hosting of official
Chinese visitors at facilities belonging to or utilized by NASA."