[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 124 (Monday, June 29, 2015)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 37131-37134]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-16122]
[[Page 37129]]
Vol. 80
Monday,
No. 124
June 29, 2015
Part III
The President
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Executive Order 13698--Hostage Recovery Activities
Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 80 , No. 124 / Monday, June 29, 2015 /
Presidential Documents
___________________________________________________________________
Title 3--
The President
[[Page 37131]]
Executive Order 13698 of June 24, 2015
Hostage Recovery Activities
By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, I hereby direct as follows:
Section 1. Purpose. The 21st century has witnessed a
significant shift in hostage-takings by terrorist
organizations and criminal groups abroad. Hostage-
takers frequently operate in unstable environments that
challenge the ability of the United States Government
and its partners and allies to operate effectively.
Increasingly, hostage-takers target private citizens--
including journalists and aid workers--as well as
Government officials. They also utilize increasingly
sophisticated networks and tactics to derive financial,
propaganda, and recruitment benefits from hostage-
taking operations. The United States is committed to
securing the safe recovery of U.S. nationals held
hostage abroad and deterring future hostage-takings by
denying hostage-takers any benefits from their actions.
Because such hostage-takings pose unique challenges,
the United States Government must be organized and work
in a coordinated effort to use all instruments of
national power to achieve these goals, consistent with
the United States Government's no concessions policy.
Establishing a single United States Government
operational body to coordinate all efforts for the
recovery of U.S. nationals taken hostage abroad, with
policy guidance coordinated through the National
Security Council, will increase the likelihood of a
successful recovery, allow for enhanced support to
hostages and their families, promote foreign policy and
national security interests abroad, and enhance the
prospects of successful criminal prosecutions of
hostage-takers. Dedicating a senior diplomatic
representative to operate in support of this
coordinated effort will further enhance the potential
for the safe recovery of hostages.
Sec. 2. Establishment and Responsibilities of the
Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell. (a) The Attorney General,
acting through the Director of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI), shall establish within the FBI for
administrative purposes an interagency Hostage Recovery
Fusion Cell (HRFC).
(b) The following executive departments, agencies,
and offices (agencies) shall participate in the HRFC:
(i) the Department of State;
(ii) the Department of the Treasury;
(iii) the Department of Defense;
(iv) the Department of Justice;
(v) the Office of the Director of National Intelligence;
(vi) the FBI;
(vii) the Central Intelligence Agency; and
(viii) other agencies as the President or the Attorney General, acting
through the Director of the FBI, from time to time, may designate.
(c) The HRFC shall have a Director, who shall be a
full-time senior officer or employee of, or detailed
to, the FBI. The HRFC shall also have a Family
Engagement Coordinator and other officers or employees
as appropriate. The head of each participating agency
shall, to the extent permitted by law, make available
for assignment or detail to the HRFC such personnel as
the Attorney General, acting through the Director of
the FBI and after consultation with the head of the
agency, may request. Such personnel
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so detailed or assigned will operate utilizing the
clearances provided by their respective agencies.
(d) The HRFC shall coordinate efforts by
participating agencies to ensure that all relevant
information, expertise, and resources are brought to
bear to secure the safe recovery of U.S. nationals held
hostage abroad. The HRFC may also be tasked with
coordinating the United States Government's response to
other hostage-takings occurring abroad in which the
United States has a national interest, as specifically
referred to the HRFC by the Deputies Committee, as
established in Presidential Policy Directive 1 of
February 13, 2009 (Organization of the National
Security Council System), or any successor. Pursuant to
policy guidance coordinated through the National
Security Council, the HRFC shall:
(i) identify and recommend hostage recovery options and strategies to the
President through the National Security Council;
(ii) coordinate efforts by participating agencies to ensure that
information regarding hostage events, including potential recovery options
and engagements with families and external actors (including foreign
governments), is appropriately shared within the United States Government
to facilitate a coordinated response to a hostage-taking;
(iii) assess and track all hostage-takings of U.S. nationals abroad and
provide regular reports to the President through the National Security
Council on the status of such cases and any measures being taken toward the
hostages' safe recovery;
(iv) provide a forum for intelligence sharing and, with the support of the
Director of National Intelligence, coordinate the declassification of
relevant information;
(v) coordinate efforts by participating agencies to provide appropriate
support and assistance to hostages and their families in a coordinated and
consistent manner and to provide families with timely information regarding
significant events in their cases;
(vi) make recommendations to agencies in order to reduce the likelihood of
U.S. nationals being taken hostage abroad and enhance United States
Government preparation to maximize the probability of a favorable outcome
following a hostage-taking; and
(vii) coordinate with agencies regarding congressional, media, and other
public inquiries pertaining to hostage events.
Sec. 3. Establishment of the Hostage Response Group.
(a) There shall be a Hostage Response Group (HRG)
chaired by the Special Assistant to the President and
Senior Director for Counterterrorism, to be convened on
a regular basis and as needed at the request of the
National Security Council to further the safe recovery
of U.S. nationals held abroad. The HRG may also be
tasked with coordinating the United States Government
response to other hostage-takings occurring abroad in
which the United States has a national interest, as
specifically referred to the HRFC by the Deputies
Committee.
(b) The regular members of the HRG shall include
the Director of the HRFC, the HRFC's Family Engagement
Coordinator, and senior representatives from the
Department of State, Department of the Treasury,
Department of Defense, Department of Justice, FBI,
Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and
other agencies as the President, from time to time, may
designate.
(c) The HRG, in support of the Deputies Committee
chaired by the Assistant to the President for Homeland
Security and Counterterrorism, and consistent with the
process outlined in Presidential Policy Directive 1 or
any successor, shall:
(i) identify and recommend hostage recovery options and strategies to the
President through the National Security Council, as consistent with
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Presidential Policy Directive 30 of June 24, 2015 (U.S. Nationals Taken
Hostage Abroad and Personnel Recovery Efforts);
(ii) coordinate the development and implementation of U.S. hostage recovery
policies, strategies, and procedures, consistent with the policies set
forth in Presidential Policy Directive 30;
(iii) receive regular updates from the HRFC on the status of U.S. nationals
being held hostage abroad and measures being taken to effect the hostages'
safe recovery;
(iv) coordinate the provision of policy guidance to the HRFC, including
reviewing recovery options proposed by the HRFC and working to resolve
disputes within the HRFC; and
(v) where higher-level guidance is required, make recommendations to the
Deputies Committee.
Sec. 4. Establishment of the Special Presidential Envoy
for Hostage Affairs. (a) There shall be a Special
Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs (Special Envoy),
appointed by the President, who shall report to the
Secretary of State.
(b) The Special Envoy shall:
(i) lead diplomatic engagement on U.S. hostage policy;
(ii) coordinate all diplomatic engagements in support of hostage recovery
efforts, in coordination with the HRFC and consistent with policy guidance
communicated through the HRG;
(iii) coordinate with the HRFC proposals for diplomatic engagements and
strategy in support of hostage recovery efforts;
(iv) provide senior representation from the Special Envoy's office to the
HRFC and in the HRG; and
(v) in coordination with the HRFC as appropriate, coordinate diplomatic
engagements regarding cases in which a foreign government confirms that it
has detained a U.S. national but the United States Government regards such
detention as unlawful or wrongful.
Sec. 5. Reporting. (a) Within 180 days of the date of
this order, the HRG shall provide a status report to
the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security
and Counterterrorism on the establishment of the HRFC
and its implementation of policy guidance communicated
through the HRG.
(b) Within 1 year of the date of this order, the
Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, in
consultation with the Secretary of State, Secretary of
Defense, Attorney General, and Director of the FBI,
shall provide a status report to the Assistant to the
President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism on
the implementation of this order. That report shall be
informed by consultation with stakeholders outside of
the United States Government, including former hostages
and hostages' families, and shall, to the extent
possible, be made available to the public.
Sec. 6. Definition. For purposes of this order, the
term ``U.S. national'' means: (a) a U.S. national as
defined in either 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22) or 8 U.S.C.
1408; or (b) a lawful permanent resident alien with
significant ties to the United States.
Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) This order shall be
implemented consistent with applicable law and subject
to the availability of appropriations.
(b) Nothing in this order shall be construed to
impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law, regulation, Executive Order, or
Presidential Directive to any executive department, agency, or head
thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
[[Page 37134]]
(c) 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,
June 24, 2015.
[FR Doc. 2015-16122
Filed 6-26-15; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F5