For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
July 22, 2004
Executive Order: Individuals with Disabilities in Emergency Preparedness
Winnetka, Illinois
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws
of the United States of America, and to strengthen emergency preparedness
with respect to individuals with disabilities, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. To ensure that the Federal Government appropriately supports
safety and security for individuals with disabilities in situations involving
disasters, including earthquakes, tornadoes, fires, floods, hurricanes, and
acts of terrorism, it shall be the policy of the United States that executive
departments and agencies of the Federal Government (agencies):
(a) consider, in their emergency preparedness planning, the unique needs
of agency employees with disabilities and individuals with disabilities whom
the agency serves;
(b) encourage, including through the provision of technical assistance, as
appropriate, consideration of the unique needs of employees and individuals
with disabilities served by State, local, and tribal governments and private
organizations and individuals in emergency preparedness planning; and
(c) facilitate cooperation among Federal, State, local, and tribal governments
and private organizations and individuals in the implementation of emergency
preparedness plans as they relate to
individuals with disabilities.
Sec. 2. Establishment of Council. (a) There is hereby established, within
the Department of Homeland Security for administrative purposes, the Interagency
Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities
(the "Council"). The Council shall consist exclusively of the following
members or their designees:
(i) the heads of executive departments, the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency, the Administrator of General Services, the Director of
the Office of Personnel Management, and the Commissioner of Social Security;
and
(ii) any other agency head as the Secretary of Homeland Security may, with
the concurrence of the agency head, designate.
(b) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall chair the Council, convene and
preside at its meetings, determine its agenda, direct its work, and, as appropriate
to particular subject matters, establish and direct subgroups of the Council,
which shall consist exclusively of Council members.
(c) A member of the Council may designate, to perform the Council functions
of the member, an employee of the member's department or agency who is either
an officer of the United States appointed by the President, or a full-time
employee serving in a position with pay equal to or greater than the minimum
rate payable for GS-15 of the General Schedule.
Sec. 3. Functions of Council. (a) The Council shall:
(i) coordinate implementation by agencies of the policy set forth in section
1 of this order;
(ii) whenever the Council obtains in the performance of its functions information
or advice from any individual who is not a full-time or permanent part-time
Federal employee, obtain such information and advice only in a manner that
seeks individual advice and does not involve collective judgment or consensus
advice or deliberation; and
(iii) at the request of any agency head (or the agency head's designee under
section 2(c) of this order) who is a member of the Council, unless the Secretary
of Homeland Security declines the request, promptly review and provide advice,
for the purpose of furthering the policy set forth in section 1, on a proposed
action by that agency.
(b) The Council shall submit to the President each year beginning 1 year
after the date of this order, through the Assistant to the President for Homeland
Security, a report that describes:
(i) the achievements of the Council in implementing the policy set forth
in section 1;
(ii) the best practices among Federal, State, local, and tribal governments
and private organizations and individuals for emergency preparedness planning
with respect to individuals with disabilities; and
(iii) recommendations of the Council for advancing the policy set forth in
section 1.
Sec. 4. General. (a) To the extent permitted by law:
(i) agencies shall assist and provide information to the Council for the
performance of its functions under this order; and
(ii) the Department of Homeland Security shall provide funding and administrative
support for the Council.
(b) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect
the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating
to budget, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(c) This order is intended only to improve the internal management of the
executive branch and is not intended to, and does not, create any right or
benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by a party
against the United States, its departments, agencies, instrumentalities, or
entities, its officers or employees, or any other person.
GEORGE W. BUSH
THE WHITE HOUSE,
July 22, 2004.
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