[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 65 (Thursday, April 6, 2017)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 16881-16885]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-07064]



[[Page 16879]]

Vol. 82

Thursday,

No. 65

April 6, 2017

Part II





The President





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National Security Presidential Memorandum-4 of April 4, 2017--
Organization of the National Security Council, the Homeland Security 
Council, and Subcommittees
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  Federal Register / Vol. 82 , No. 65 / Thursday, April 6, 2017 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 16881]]

                National Security Presidential Memorandum-4 of April 4, 
                2017

                
Organization of the National Security Council, 
                the Homeland Security Council, and Subcommittees

                Memorandum for the Vice President[,] the Secretary of 
                State[,] the Secretary of the Treasury[,] the Secretary 
                of Defense[,] the Attorney General[,] the Secretary of 
                Agriculture[,] the Secretary of Health and Human 
                Services[,] the Secretary of Transportation[,] the 
                Secretary of Commerce[,] the Secretary of Energy[,] the 
                Secretary of Homeland Security[,] the Assistant to the 
                President and Chief of Staff[,] the Director of the 
                Office of Management and Budget[,] the Representative 
                of the United States to the United Nations[,] the 
                United States Trade Representative[,] the Chairman of 
                the Council of Economic Advisers[,] the Chairman of the 
                Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System[,] the 
                Director of National Intelligence[,] the Director of 
                the Central Intelligence Agency[,] the Chairman of the 
                Joint Chiefs of Staff[,] the Assistant to the President 
                for National Security Affairs[,] the Assistant to the 
                President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism 
                the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy[,] 
                the Assistant to the President for Trade and 
                Manufacturing Policy[,] the Assistant to the President 
                for Intragovernmental and Technology Initiatives[,] the 
                Counsel to the President[,] the Deputy Assistant to the 
                President and National Security Advisor to the Vice 
                President[,] the Administrator of the United States 
                Agency for International Development[,] the 
                Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
                Administration[,] the Chairman of the Nuclear 
                Regulatory Commission[,] the Director of the Federal 
                Bureau of Investigation[,] the Director of the Office 
                of Science and Technology Policy[,] the Director of 
                National Drug Control Policy[,] the Chairman of the 
                President's Intelligence Advisory Board[,] the 
                Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management 
                Agency[, and] the Archivist of the United States

                As President, my highest priority is to ensure the 
                safety and security of the American people. In order to 
                advise and assist me in executing this solemn 
                responsibility, as well as to protect and advance the 
                national interests of the United States at home and 
                abroad, I hereby direct that my system for national 
                security policy development and decision making shall 
                be organized as follows:

                A. The National Security Council, the Homeland Security 
                Council, and Supporting Staff

                The National Security Act of 1947, as amended, 
                established the National Security Council (NSC) to 
                advise the President with respect to the integration of 
                domestic, foreign, and military policies relating to 
                the national security. There is also a Homeland 
                Security Council (HSC)--established through Executive 
                Order 13228 of October 8, 2001, and subsequently 
                codified in the Homeland Security Act of 2002--that has 
                the purpose of advising the President on matters 
                pertaining to homeland security. Each Council is also 
                responsible for the effective coordination of the 
                security-related activities and functions of the 
                executive departments and agencies.

                The security threats facing the United States in the 
                21st century transcend international boundaries. 
                Accordingly, the United States Government's decision-
                making structures and processes to address these 
                challenges must remain equally adaptive and 
                transformative. Both Councils are statutory bodies that

[[Page 16882]]

                the President will continue to chair. Invitations to 
                participate in specific Council meetings shall be 
                extended to those heads of executive departments and 
                agencies, and other senior officials, who are needed to 
                address the issue or issues under consideration. When 
                the President is absent from a meeting of either 
                Council, the Vice President may preside at the 
                President's direction.

                The Assistant to the President for National Security 
                Affairs (National Security Advisor) shall be 
                responsible, as appropriate and at the President's 
                direction, for determining the agenda for the NSC or 
                HSC, respectively, ensuring that the necessary papers 
                are prepared and recording Council actions and 
                Presidential decisions in a timely manner. The 
                Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and 
                Counterterrorism (Homeland Security Advisor) may, at 
                the sole discretion of the National Security Advisor, 
                perform those functions. When international economic 
                issues are on the agenda of the NSC, the Assistant to 
                the President for Economic Policy may, at the sole 
                discretion of the National Security Advisor, perform 
                those functions.

                The NSC and HSC shall have as their regular attendees 
                (both statutory and non-statutory) the President, the 
                Vice President, the Secretary of State, the Secretary 
                of the Treasury, the Secretary of Defense, the Attorney 
                General, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of 
                Homeland Security, the National Security Advisor, the 
                Homeland Security Advisor, and the Representative of 
                the United States to the United Nations. The Director 
                of National Intelligence and the Chairman of the Joint 
                Chiefs of Staff, as statutory advisors to the NSC, 
                shall also be regular attendees, as will the Director 
                of the Central Intelligence Agency.

                When international economic issues are on the agenda of 
                the NSC, the NSC's regular attendees will include the 
                Secretary of Commerce, the United States Trade 
                Representative, and the Assistant to the President for 
                Economic Policy.

                The Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff 
                (Chief of Staff to the President), the Counsel to the 
                President, the Deputy Counsel to the President for 
                National Security Affairs, and the Director of the 
                Office of Management and Budget are invited as 
                attendees to any NSC meeting.

                In addition to the NSC and HSC, there is also a single 
                NSC staff within the Executive Office of the President 
                that serves both the NSC and HSC. The staff is composed 
                of regional, issue-focused, and functional directorates 
                and headed by a single civilian Executive Secretary, 
                pursuant to 50 U.S.C. 3021, who is also the Chief of 
                Staff. All policy and staff activity decisions will be 
                transmitted to the Executive Secretary for appropriate 
                distribution and awareness. The purpose of the staff is 
                to advise the President, the National Security Advisor, 
                the Homeland Security Advisor, the NSC members, the HSC 
                members, and others in the White House; to facilitate 
                the implementation of Administration policy; and to 
                help coordinate the national-security-related 
                activities of the executive departments and agencies.

                B. The Principals Committee

                The Principals Committee (PC) shall continue to serve 
                as the Cabinet-level senior interagency forum for 
                considering policy issues that affect the national 
                security interests of the United States. The PC shall 
                be convened and chaired by the National Security 
                Advisor. The Homeland Security Advisor may, at the sole 
                discretion of the National Security Advisor, also 
                convene and chair the PC. The Chair shall determine the 
                agenda in consultation with the appropriate committee 
                members, and the Executive Secretary shall ensure that 
                necessary papers are prepared, and that conclusions and 
                decisions are communicated in a timely manner. 
                Invitations to participate in or attend a specific PC 
                shall be extended at the discretion of the Chair, and 
                may include those Cabinet-level heads of executive 
                departments and agencies, and other senior officials, 
                who are needed to address any issue under 
                consideration.

[[Page 16883]]

                The PC shall have as its regular attendees the 
                Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the 
                Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, the 
                Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Homeland 
                Security, the Chief of Staff to the President, the 
                Director of National Intelligence, the Chairman of the 
                Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Director of the Central 
                Intelligence Agency, the National Security Advisor, the 
                Homeland Security Advisor, and the Representative of 
                the United States to the United Nations. The Counsel to 
                the President, the Deputy Counsel to the President for 
                National Security Affairs, and the Director of the 
                Office of Management and Budget may attend all PC 
                meetings.

                The Assistant to the President and Deputy National 
                Security Advisor (Deputy National Security Advisor), 
                the Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy, the 
                Deputy Assistant to the President and National Security 
                Advisor to the Vice President, and the Executive 
                Secretary (who shall serve as the Executive Secretary 
                of the PC) shall attend all of the meetings of the PC, 
                and the Assistant to the President for 
                Intragovernmental and Technology Initiatives may attend 
                as appropriate.

                When international economic issues are on the agenda of 
                the PC, the Committee's regular attendees will include 
                the Secretary of Commerce, the United States Trade 
                Representative, and the Assistant to the President for 
                Economic Policy (who shall serve as Chair for agenda 
                items that principally pertain to international 
                economics).

                C. The Deputies Committee

                The Deputies Committee (DC) shall continue to serve as 
                the senior sub-Cabinet interagency forum for 
                consideration of, and where appropriate, decision 
                making on, policy issues that affect the national 
                security interests of the United States. The DC shall 
                be convened and chaired by the Deputy National Security 
                Advisor. The Deputy Homeland Security Advisor may, at 
                the sole discretion of the National Security Advisor, 
                also convene and Chair the DC. The Chair shall 
                determine the agenda in consultation with the regular 
                DC attendees, and the Executive Secretary shall ensure 
                that necessary papers are prepared and that conclusions 
                and decisions are communicated in a timely manner. 
                Invitations to participate in or attend a specific DC 
                meeting shall be extended by the Chair to those at the 
                Deputy Secretary or Under Secretary level of executive 
                departments and agencies, and to other senior 
                officials, who are needed to address any issue under 
                consideration.

                The DC shall have as its regular attendees the Deputy 
                Secretary of State, the Deputy Secretary of the 
                Treasury, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, the Deputy 
                Attorney General, the Deputy Secretary of Energy, the 
                Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, the Deputy 
                Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the 
                Deputy Director of National Intelligence, the Vice 
                Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Deputy 
                Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, the Deputy 
                National Security Advisor, the Deputy National Security 
                Advisor for Strategy, the Deputy Homeland Security 
                Advisor, the Deputy Assistant to the President and 
                National Security Advisor to the Vice President, and 
                the Administrator of the United States Agency for 
                International Development.

                The Executive Secretary shall attend the DC meetings. 
                The Deputy Counsel to the President for National 
                Security Affairs may attend all DC meetings. Other 
                senior officials, including the Deputy Representative 
                of the United States to the United Nations, may be 
                invited when appropriate.

                The DC shall review and monitor the work of the 
                interagency national security process, including the 
                interagency groups established pursuant to section D 
                below. The DC shall help to ensure that issues brought 
                before the NSC, HSC, and PC have been properly analyzed 
                and prepared for decision. The DC shall also focus 
                significant attention on monitoring the implementation 
                of policies and decisions and shall conduct periodic 
                reviews of the Administration's major national security 
                and foreign policy initiatives.

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                The DC is responsible for establishing Policy 
                Coordination Committees (PCCs) and for providing 
                objectives and clear guidance.

                D. Policy Coordination Committees

                Management of the development and implementation of 
                national security policies by multiple executive 
                departments and agencies typically shall be 
                accomplished by the PCCs, with participation primarily 
                occurring at the Assistant Secretary level. As the main 
                day-to-day fora for interagency coordination of 
                national security policies, the PCCs shall provide 
                policy analysis for consideration by the more senior 
                committees of the national security system and ensure 
                timely responses to the President's decisions.

                Regional and issue-related PCCs shall be established at 
                the direction of the DC. Members of the NSC staff (or 
                National Economic Council staff, as appropriate) will 
                chair the PCCs; the DC, at its discretion, may add co-
                chairs to any PCC. The PCCs shall review and coordinate 
                the implementation of Presidential decisions in their 
                respective policy areas. The Chair of each PCC, in 
                consultation with the Executive Secretary, shall invite 
                representatives of other executive departments and 
                agencies to attend meetings of the PCC where 
                appropriate. The Chair of each PCC, with the agreement 
                of the Executive Secretary, may establish subordinate 
                working groups to assist that PCC in the performance of 
                its duties.

                E. General

                The President and the Vice President may attend any and 
                all meetings of any entity established by or under this 
                memorandum.

                This document is part of a series of National Security 
                Presidential Memoranda, which have replaced both 
                Presidential Policy Directives and Presidential Study 
                Directives as the instrument for communicating relevant 
                Presidential decisions. This memorandum shall supersede 
                all other existing Presidential directives and guidance 
                on the organization or support of the NSC and the HSC, 
                including National Security Presidential Memorandum--2 
                (January 28, 2017), which is hereby revoked. With 
                regard to its application to economic matters, this 
                document shall be interpreted in concert with any 
                Executive Order governing the National Economic Council 
                and with Presidential Memoranda signed hereafter that 
                implement it or those Executive Orders.

[[Page 16885]]

                The Secretary of Defense is hereby authorized and 
                directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal 
                Register.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    Washington, April 4, 2017

[FR Doc. 2017-07064
Filed 4-5-17; 11:15 am]
Billing code 5001-06-P