[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 31, Number 29 (Monday, July 24, 1995)]
[Pages 1247-1248]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Executive Order 12966--Foreign Disaster Assistance

July 14, 1995

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and 
the laws of the United States of America, including the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995, Public Law 103-337 (the ``Act'') 
and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as 
follows:
    Section 1. This order governs the implementation of section 404 of 
title 10, United States Code, as added by amendment set forth in section 
1412(a) of the Act. Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 404(a), the Secretary of 
Defense is hereby directed to provide disaster assistance outside the 
United States to respond to manmade or natural disasters when the 
Secretary of Defense determines that such assistance is necessary to 
prevent loss of lives. The Secretary of Defense shall exercise the 
notification functions required of the President by 10 U.S.C. 404(c).
    Sec. 2. The Secretary of Defense shall provide disaster assistance 
only: (a) at the direction of the President; or
    (b) with the concurrence of the Secretary of State; or
    (c) in emergency situations in order to save human lives, where 
there is not sufficient time to seek the prior initial concurrence of 
the Secretary of State, in which case the Secretary of Defense shall 
advise, and seek the concurrence of, the Secretary of State as soon as 
practicable thereafter.
    For the purpose of section 2(b) of this order, only the Secretary of 
State, or the Deputy Secretary of State, or persons acting in those 
capacities, shall have the authority to withhold concurrence. 
Concurrence of the Secretary of State is not required for the execution 
of military operations undertaken pursuant to, and consistent with, 
assistance provided in accordance with parts (b) and (c) of this 
section, or with respect to matters relating to the internal financial 
processes of the Department of Defense.
    Sec. 3. In providing assistance covered by this order, the Secretary 
of Defense shall consult with the Administrator of the Agency for 
International Development, in the Administrator's capacity as the 
President's Special Coordinator for International Disaster Assistance.
    Sec. 4. This order does not affect any activity or program 
authorized under any other provision of law, except that referred to in 
section 1 of this order.
    Sec. 5. This order is effective at 12:01 a.m., e.d.t. on July 15, 
1995.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
July 14, 1995.

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 11:19 a.m., July 17, 
1995]

Note: This Executive order was released by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on July 17, and it was published in the Federal Register on 
July 18.

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