[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 213 (Friday, November 2, 2012)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 66353-66355]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-27002]



[[Page 66351]]

Vol. 77

Friday,

No. 213

November 2, 2012

Part IV





The President





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Executive Order 13629--Establishing the White House Homeland Security 
Partnership Council
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  Federal Register / Vol. 77 , No. 213 / Friday, November 2, 2012 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 66353]]

                Executive Order 13629 of October 26, 2012

                
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

[[Page 66354]]

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;

[[Page 66355]]

(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.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    Washington, October 26, 2012.

[FR Doc. 2012-27002
Filed 11-1-12; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F3