For Immediate Release October
26, 2012
Executive Order -- Establishing the White House
Homeland Security Partnership Council
EXECUTIVE
ORDER
- - - - -
- -
ESTABLISHING
THE WHITE HOUSE
HOMELAND
SECURITY PARTNERSHIP COUNCIL
By the authority vested in me as
President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and
in order to advance the Federal Government's use of local partnerships to
address homeland security challenges, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. The purpose of this order is to
maximize the Federal Government's ability to develop local partnerships in the
United States to support homeland security priorities. Partnerships are
collaborative working relationships in which the goals, structure, and roles
and responsibilities of the relationships are mutually determined. Collaboration
enables the Federal Government and its partners to use resources more
efficiently, build on one another's expertise, drive innovation, engage in
collective action, broaden investments to achieve shared goals, and improve
performance. Partnerships enhance our ability to address homeland security
priorities, from responding to natural disasters to preventing terrorism, by
utilizing diverse perspectives, skills, tools, and resources.
The National Security Strategy
emphasizes the importance of partnerships, underscoring that to keep our Nation
safe "we must tap the ingenuity outside government through strategic
partnerships with the private sector, nongovernmental organizations,
foundations, and community-based organizations. Such partnerships are critical
to U.S. success at home and abroad, and we will support them through enhanced
opportunities for engagement, coordination, transparency, and information
sharing." This approach recognizes that, given the complexities and
range of challenges, we must institutionalize an all-of-Nation effort to
address the evolving threats to the United States.
Sec. 2. White House Homeland Security Partnership
Council and Steering Committee.
(a) White House Homeland Security
Partnership Council. There is established a White House Homeland Security
Partnership Council (Council) to foster local partnerships -- between the
Federal Government and the private sector, nongovernmental organizations,
foundations, community-based organizations, and State, local, tribal, and territorial government and law enforcement -- to
address homeland security challenges. The Council shall be chaired by the
Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism (Chair),
or a designee from the National Security Staff.
(b) Council Membership.
(i) Pursuant to the nomination process established in
subsection (b)(ii) of this section, the Council shall be composed of Federal
officials who are from field offices of the executive departments, agencies,
and bureaus (agencies) that are members of the Steering Committee established
in subsection (c) of this section, and who have demonstrated an ability to
develop, sustain, and institutionalize local partnerships to address policy
priorities.
(ii) The nomination process and selection criteria for
members of the Council shall be established by the Steering Committee. Based on
those criteria, agency heads may select and present to the Steering Committee
their nominee or nominees to represent them on the Council. The Steering
Committee shall consider all of the nominees and decide by consensus which of
the nominees shall participate on the Council. Each member agency on the
Steering Committee, with the exception of the Office of the Director of
National Intelligence, may have at least one representative on the Council.
(c) Steering Committee. There
is also established a Steering Committee, chaired by the Chair of the Council,
to provide guidance to the Council and perform other functions as set forth in
this order. The Steering Committee shall include a representative at the Deputy
agency head level, or that representative's designee, from the following
agencies:
(i) Department of State;
(ii) Department of the Treasury;
(iii) Department of Defense;
(iv) Department of Justice;
(v) Department of the Interior;
(vi) Department of Agriculture;
(vii) Department of Commerce;
(viii) Department of Labor;
(ix) Department of Health and Human Services;
(x) Department of Housing and Urban Development;
(xi) Department of Transportation;
(xii) Department of Energy;
(xiii) Department of Education;
(xiv) Department of Veterans Affairs;
(xv) Department of Homeland Security;
(xvi) Office of the Director of National Intelligence;
(xvii) Environmental Protection Agency;
(xviii) Small Business Administration; and
(xix) Federal Bureau of Investigation.
At the invitation of the Chair,
representatives of agencies not listed in subsection (c) of this section or
other executive branch entities may attend and participate in Steering
Committee meetings as appropriate.
(d) Administration. The Chair
or a designee shall convene meetings of the Council and Steering Committee,
determine their agendas, and coordinate their work. The Council may establish
subgroups consisting exclusively of Council members or their designees, as
appropriate.
Sec. 3. Mission and Function of the Council and
Steering Committee. (a) The Council shall, consistent with guidance from
the Steering Committee:
(i) advise the Chair and Steering Committee members on
priorities, challenges, and opportunities for local partnerships to support
homeland security priorities, as well as regularly report to the Steering
Committee on the Council's efforts;
(ii) promote homeland security priorities and opportunities
for collaboration between Federal Government field offices and State, local,
tribal, and territorial stakeholders;
(iii) advise and confer with State, local, tribal, and
territorial stakeholders and agencies interested in expanding or building local
homeland security partnerships;
(iv) raise awareness of local partnership best practices
that can support homeland security priorities;
(v) as appropriate, conduct outreach to representatives of
the private sector, nongovernmental organizations, foundations, community-based
organizations, and State, local, tribal, and territorial government and law
enforcement entities with relevant expertise for local homeland security
partnerships, and collaborate with other Federal Government bodies; and
(vi) convene an annual meeting to exchange key findings, progress,
and best practices.
(b) The Steering Committee shall:
(i) determine the scope of issue areas the Council will
address and its operating protocols, in consultation with the Office of
Management and Budget;
(ii) establish the nomination process and selection criteria
for members of the Council as set forth in section 2(b)(ii) of this order;
(iii) provide guidance to the Council on the activities set
forth in subsection (a) of this section; and
(iv) within 1 year of the selection of the Council members,
and annually thereafter, provide a report on the work of the Council to the
President through the Chair.
Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) The heads of
agencies participating in the Steering Committee shall assist and provide
information to the Council, consistent with applicable law, as may be necessary
to implement this order. Each agency shall bear its own expense for
participating in the Council.
(b) Nothing in this order shall be
construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department,
agency, or the head thereof;
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of
Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative
proposals; or
(iii) the functions of the Overseas Security Advisory
Council.
(c) This order shall be implemented
consistent with applicable law and appropriate protections for privacy and
civil liberties, and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(d) This order is not intended to,
and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its
departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.
BARACK
OBAMA
THE WHITE HOUSE,
October 26, 2012.
