[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 21 (Wednesday, January 31, 2001)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 8497-8498]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-2851]



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Part III





The President





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Executive Order 13198--Agency Responsibilities With Respect to Faith-
Based and Community Initiatives



Executive Order 13199--Establishment of White House Office of Faith-
Based and Community Initiatives
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  Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 21 / Wednesday, January 31, 2001 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 8497]]

                Executive Order 13198 of January 29, 2001

                
Agency Responsibilities With Respect to Faith-
                Based and Community Initiatives

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, and in order to help the Federal Government 
                coordinate a national effort to expand opportunities 
                for faith-based and other community organizations and 
                to strengthen their capacity to better meet social 
                needs in America's communities, it is hereby ordered as 
                follows:

                Section 1. Establishment of Executive Department 
                Centers for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. (a) 
                The Attorney General, the Secretary of Education, the 
                Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human 
                Services, and the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
                Development shall each establish within their 
                respective departments a Center for Faith-Based and 
                Community Initiatives (Center).

                    (b) Each executive department Center shall be 
                supervised by a Director, appointed by the department 
                head in consultation with the White House Office of 
                Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (White House 
                OFBCI).
                    (c) Each department shall provide its Center with 
                appropriate staff, administrative support, and other 
                resources to meet its responsibilities under this 
                order.
                    (d) Each department's Center shall begin operations 
                no later than 45 days from the date of this order.

                Sec. 2. Purpose of Executive Department Centers for 
                Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. The purpose of 
                the executive department Centers will be to coordinate 
                department efforts to eliminate regulatory, 
                contracting, and other programmatic obstacles to the 
                participation of faith-based and other community 
                organizations in the provision of social services.

                Sec. 3. Responsibilities of Executive Department 
                Centers for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. Each 
                Center shall, to the extent permitted by law: (a) 
                conduct, in coordination with the White House OFBCI, a 
                department-wide audit to identify all existing barriers 
                to the participation of faith-based and other community 
                organizations in the delivery of social services by the 
                department, including but not limited to regulations, 
                rules, orders, procurement, and other internal policies 
                and practices, and outreach activities that either 
                facially discriminate against or otherwise discourage 
                or disadvantage the participation of faith-based and 
                other community organizations in Federal programs;

                    (b) coordinate a comprehensive departmental effort 
                to incorporate faith-based and other community 
                organizations in department programs and initiatives to 
                the greatest extent possible;
                    (c) propose initiatives to remove barriers 
                identified pursuant to section 3(a) of this order, 
                including but not limited to reform of regulations, 
                procurement, and other internal policies and practices, 
                and outreach activities;
                    (d) propose the development of innovative pilot and 
                demonstration programs to increase the participation of 
                faith-based and other community organizations in 
                Federal as well as State and local initiatives; and
                    (e) develop and coordinate department outreach 
                efforts to disseminate information more effectively to 
                faith-based and other community organizations with 
                respect to programming changes, contracting 
                opportunities, and

[[Page 8498]]

                other department initiatives, including but not limited 
                to Web and Internet resources.

                Sec. 4. Additional Responsibilities of the Department 
                of Health and Human Services and the Department of 
                Labor Centers. In addition to those responsibilities 
                described in section 3 of this order, the Department of 
                Health and Human Services and the Department of Labor 
                Centers shall, to the extent permitted by law: (a) 
                conduct a comprehensive review of policies and 
                practices affecting existing funding streams governed 
                by so-called ``Charitable Choice'' legislation to 
                assess the department's compliance with the 
                requirements of Charitable Choice; and (b) promote and 
                ensure compliance with existing Charitable Choice 
                legislation by the department, as well as its partners 
                in State and local government, and their contractors.

                Sec. 5. Reporting Requirements. (a) Report. Not later 
                than 180 days after the date of this order and annually 
                thereafter, each of the five executive department 
                Centers described in section 1 of this order shall 
                prepare and submit a report to the White House OFBCI.

                    (b) Contents. The report shall include a 
                description of the department's efforts in carrying out 
                its responsibilities under this order, including but 
                not limited to:
                      (1) a comprehensive analysis of the barriers to 
                the full participation of faith-based and other 
                community organizations in the delivery of social 
                services identified pursuant to section 3(a) of this 
                order and the proposed strategies to eliminate those 
                barriers; and
                      (2) a summary of the technical assistance and 
                other information that will be available to faith-based 
                and other community organizations regarding the program 
                activities of the department and the preparation of 
                applications or proposals for grants, cooperative 
                agreements, contracts, and procurement.
                    (c) Performance Indicators. The first report, filed 
                180 days after the date of this order, shall include 
                annual performance indicators and measurable objectives 
                for department action. Each report filed thereafter 
                shall measure the department's performance against the 
                objectives set forth in the initial report.

                Sec. 6. Responsibilities of All Executive Departments 
                and Agencies. All executive departments and agencies 
                (agencies) shall: (a) designate an agency employee to 
                serve as the liaison and point of contact with the 
                White House OFBCI; and

                    (b) cooperate with the White House OFBCI and 
                provide such information, support, and assistance to 
                the White House OFBCI as it may request, to the extent 
                permitted by law.

                Sec. 7. Administration and Judicial Review. (a) The 
                agencies' actions directed by this Executive Order 
                shall be carried out subject to the availability of 
                appropriations and to the extent permitted by law.

                    (b) This order does not create any right or 
                benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law 
                or equity against the United States, its agencies or 
                instrumentalities, its officers or employees, or any 
                other person.

                    (Presidential Sig.)B

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                     January 29, 2001.

[FR Doc. 01-2851
Filed 1-30-01; 11:45 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P