[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 52 (Thursday, March 17, 2016)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 14685-14688]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-06250]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 52 / Thursday, March 17, 2016 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 14685]]


                Executive Order 13721 of March 14, 2016

                
Developing an Integrated Global Engagement Center 
                To Support Government-wide Counterterrorism 
                Communications Activities Directed Abroad and Revoking 
                Executive Order 13584

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, including section 2656 of title 22, United 
                States Code, and section 3161 of title 5, United States 
                Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:

                Section 1. Establishment of the Global Engagement 
                Center. The Secretary of State (Secretary) shall 
                establish the Global Engagement Center (Center) which 
                shall lead the coordination, integration, and 
                synchronization of Government-wide communications 
                activities directed at foreign audiences abroad in 
                order to counter the messaging and diminish the 
                influence of international terrorist organizations, 
                including the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant 
                (ISIL), al Qa'ida, and other violent extremists abroad, 
                with specific responsibilities as set forth in section 
                3 of this order. The executive director of the Center 
                shall be the Special Envoy and Coordinator for Global 
                Engagement Communications (Coordinator), who shall 
                report to the Secretary through the Under Secretary of 
                State for Public Diplomacy.

                Sec. 2. Revocation. Executive Order 13584 of September 
                9, 2011 (Developing an Integrated Strategic 
                Counterterrorism Communications Initiative and 
                Establishing a Temporary Organization to Support 
                Certain Government-Wide Communications Activities 
                Directed Abroad), is revoked.

                Sec. 3. Responsibilities Assigned to the Center. 
                Recognizing the need for innovation and new approaches 
                to counter the messaging and diminish the influence of 
                international terrorist organizations, including ISIL, 
                al Qa'ida, and other violent extremists abroad, and in 
                order to protect the vital national interests of the 
                United States, while also recognizing the importance of 
                protections for freedom of expression, including those 
                under the First Amendment to the Constitution of the 
                United States and international human rights 
                obligations, the responsibilities and functions of the 
                Center shall include the following:

                    (a) coordinating, integrating, and synchronizing 
                all public communications of the United States 
                Government directed toward foreign audiences abroad in 
                order to counter the messaging and diminish the 
                influence of international terrorist organizations and 
                other violent extremists abroad;
                    (b) developing and promulgating throughout the 
                executive branch, on the basis of rigorous research and 
                modern data analysis, the U.S. strategic 
                counterterrorism narratives, guidance, and associated 
                communications strategies directed toward foreign 
                audiences abroad in order to counter the messaging and 
                diminish the influence of international terrorist 
                organizations and other violent extremists abroad;
                    (c) consulting and engaging, in coordination with 
                agencies and the Countering Violent Extremism Task 
                Force, as appropriate, with a range of communications-
                related actors and entities, within the United States 
                and abroad, including governments, private sector and 
                civil society entities, in order to contribute to U.S. 
                Government efforts to counter the communications-
                related radicalization to violence and recruitment 
                activities of international terrorist organizations and 
                other violent extremists abroad, while also building 
                the capacity of partners to create resonant positive 
                alternative narratives

[[Page 14686]]

                and to diminish the influence of such international 
                terrorist organizations and other violent extremists 
                abroad;
                    (d) identifying, engaging, employing, or acquiring 
                the best available talent across the U.S. and from 
                global private sectors, academia, and elsewhere to 
                support the Center's mission;
                    (e) identifying shortfalls in any U.S. capabilities 
                in any areas relevant to the Center's mission and 
                implementing or recommending, as appropriate, necessary 
                enhancements or changes; and
                    (f) developing, supporting, and sustaining networks 
                of governmental and non-governmental partners, to 
                provide original content and disseminate messaging 
                products to foreign audiences abroad and to create, 
                develop, and sustain effective positive alternative 
                narratives consistent with U.S. policy objectives.

                Sec. 4. Establishment of a Steering Committee. The 
                Secretary shall establish a Steering Committee composed 
                of senior representatives of agencies relevant to the 
                Center's mission to provide advice to the Secretary on 
                the operations and strategic orientation of the Center 
                and to ensure adequate support for the Center. The 
                Steering Committee shall be chaired by the Under 
                Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy. The Steering 
                Committee shall include one senior representative 
                designated by the head of each of the following 
                agencies: the Department of Defense, the Department of 
                Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, the 
                Department of the Treasury, the Small Business 
                Administration, the National Counterterrorism Center, 
                the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Counterterrorism Center 
                of the Central Intelligence Agency, the Broadcast Board 
                of Governors, and the United States Agency for 
                International Development. Other agencies may be 
                invited to participate in the Steering Committee at the 
                discretion of the Chair.

                Sec. 5. Interagency Support. Agencies are hereby 
                directed, consistent with budget priorities and mission 
                constraints, upon request by the Secretary and to the 
                extent permitted by law and consistent with the need to 
                protect intelligence and law enforcement sources, 
                methods, operations, and investigations, to provide to 
                the Center, and the Center is authorized to use, for 
                the purpose of carrying out the responsibilities 
                outlined in this order:

                    (a) details or assignments of personnel, which 
                shall be based on reasonable requests in light of the 
                need for specific domain expertise, and after 
                consultation with the relevant agency to ensure that 
                such requests align with their authorities and 
                resources;
                    (b) the use of physical premises, equipment, and 
                logistical or administrative support;
                    (c) relevant information, research, intelligence, 
                and analysis; and
                    (d) such other resources and assistance as the 
                Coordinator may request for the purpose of carrying out 
                the responsibilities outlined in this order.

                Sec. 6. Establishment of a Temporary Organization. (a) 
                There is established within the Department of State, in 
                accordance with section 3161 of title 5, United States 
                Code, a temporary organization to be known as the 
                Global Engagement Center Coordination Office (GECCO).

                    (b) The purpose of the GECCO shall be to perform 
                the specific project of providing technical, marketing, 
                management, and operational support to the Center in 
                its efforts to build and maintain a network of partners 
                outside the U.S. Government, including private sector 
                entities and non-governmental organizations, and to 
                develop research and analytics to enable measurement 
                and evaluation of the activities of the Center and 
                related activities conducted by other agencies.
                    (c) In carrying out the purposes set forth in 
                subsection (b) of this section, the GECCO shall:

(i) provide technical, marketing, management, and operational support for 
the management of contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements;

[[Page 14687]]

(ii) assist the Center in building and maintaining partnerships with 
private sector entities, non-governmental organizations, and others as 
appropriate in support of the Center's mission;

(iii) design and develop sustained campaigns, in coordination with and 
primarily for use by private sector entities and non-governmental 
organizations, on specific areas of interest to foreign audiences abroad in 
support of the Center's mission;

(iv) conduct or commission baseline research to establish the basis for 
evaluation of the activities of the Center and related activities conducted 
by other agencies;

(v) develop analytical models and metrics, consistent with the Center's 
responsibilities, in order to enable measurement and evaluation of the 
activities of the Center in coordinating effective strategies to counter 
the messaging and diminish the influence of international terrorist 
organizations and other violent extremists abroad, and related activities 
conducted by other agencies; and

(vi) perform such other functions related to the specific project set forth 
in subsection (b) of this section as the Secretary may assign.

                    (d) The GECCO shall be headed by the Coordinator. 
                Its staff may include, as determined by the 
                Coordinator: (1) personnel with relevant expertise 
                detailed on a non-reimbursable basis from other 
                agencies; (2) senior and other technical advisers; (3) 
                executive-level personnel; and (4) such other personnel 
                as the Secretary may request to support the GECCO. To 
                accomplish this mission, the heads of agencies shall, 
                upon request, provide to the GECCO, on a non-
                reimbursable basis, assistance, services, and other 
                support including but not limited to logistical and 
                administrative support and details of personnel to the 
                extent permitted by law. Non-reimbursable details to 
                the GECCO shall be based on reasonable requests from 
                the Coordinator in light of the need for specific 
                expertise, and after consultation with the relevant 
                agency, to the extent permitted by law.
                    (e) The GECCO shall terminate at the end of the 
                maximum period permitted by section 3161(a)(1) of title 
                5, United States Code, unless sooner terminated by the 
                Secretary consistent with section 3161(a)(2) of such 
                title.
                    (f) The termination of the GECCO as required by 
                subsection (e) of this section shall not be interpreted 
                to imply the termination, attenuation or amendment of 
                any other authority or provision of this order.

                Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order 
                shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) authority granted by law to an agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

                    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with 
                applicable law and subject to the availability of 
                appropriations.

[[Page 14688]]

                    (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,

                    March 14, 2016.

[FR Doc. 2016-06250
Filed 3-16-16; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F6-P