[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 5 (Monday, February 5, 2001)]
[Pages 233-235]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Executive Order 13198--Agency Responsibilities With Respect to Faith-
Based and Community Initiatives

January 29, 2001

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and 
the laws of the United States of America, and in order to help the 
Federal Government coordinate a national effort to expand opportunities 
for faith-based and other community organizations and to strengthen 
their capacity to better meet social needs in America's communities, it 
is hereby ordered as follows:
    Section 1. Establishment of Executive Department Centers for Faith-
Based and Community Initiatives. (a) The Attorney General, the Secretary 
of Education, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services, and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall each 
establish within their respective departments a Center for Faith-Based 
and Community Initiatives (Center).
    (b) Each executive department Center shall be supervised by a 
Director, appointed by the department head in consultation with the 
White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (White House 
OFBCI).
    (c) Each department shall provide its Center with appropriate staff, 
administrative support, and other resources to meet its responsibilities 
under this order.
    (d) Each department's Center shall begin operations no later than 45 
days from the date of this order.
    Sec. 2. Purpose of Executive Department Centers for Faith-Based and 
Community Initiatives. The purpose of the executive department Centers 
will be to coordinate department efforts to eliminate regulatory, 
contracting, and other programmatic obstacles to the participation of 
faith-based and other community organizations in the provision of social 
services.

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    Sec. 3. Responsibilities of Executive Department Centers for Faith-
Based and Community Initiatives. Each Center shall, to the extent 
permitted by law: (a) conduct, in coordination with the White House 
OFBCI, a department-wide audit to identify all existing barriers to the 
participation of faith-based and other community organizations in the 
delivery of social services by the department, including but not limited 
to regulations, rules, orders, procurement, and other internal policies 
and practices, and outreach activities that either facially discriminate 
against or otherwise discourage or disadvantage the participation of 
faith-based and other community organizations in Federal programs;
    (b) coordinate a comprehensive departmental effort to incorporate 
faith-based and other community organizations in department programs and 
initiatives to the greatest extent possible;
    (c) propose initiatives to remove barriers identified pursuant to 
section 3(a) of this order, including but not limited to reform of 
regulations, procurement, and other internal policies and practices, and 
outreach activities;
    (d) propose the development of innovative pilot and demonstration 
programs to increase the participation of faith-based and other 
community organizations in Federal as well as State and local 
initiatives; and
    (e) develop and coordinate department outreach efforts to 
disseminate information more effectively to faith-based and other 
community organizations with respect to programming changes, contracting 
opportunities, and other department initiatives, including but not 
limited to Web and Internet resources.
    Sec. 4. Additional Responsibilities of the Department of Health and 
Human Services and the Department of Labor Centers. In addition to those 
responsibilities described in section 3 of this order, the Department of 
Health and Human Services and the Department of Labor Centers shall, to 
the extent permitted by law: (a) conduct a comprehensive review of 
policies and practices affecting existing funding streams governed by 
so-called ``Charitable Choice'' legislation to assess the department's 
compliance with the requirements of Charitable Choice; and (b) promote 
and ensure compliance with existing Charitable Choice legislation by the 
department, as well as its partners in State and local government, and 
their contractors.
    Sec. 5. Reporting Requirements. (a) Report. Not later than 180 days 
after the date of this order and annually thereafter, each of the five 
executive department Centers described in section 1 of this order shall 
prepare and submit a report to the White House OFBCI.
    (b) Contents. The report shall include a description of the 
department's efforts in carrying out its responsibilities under this 
order, including but not limited to:
    (1) a comprehensive analysis of the barriers to the full 
participation of faith-based and other community organizations in the 
delivery of social services identified pursuant to section 3(a) of this 
order and the proposed strategies to eliminate those barriers; and
    (2) a summary of the technical assistance and other information that 
will be available to faith-based and other community organizations 
regarding the program activities of the department and the preparation 
of applications or proposals for grants, cooperative agreements, 
contracts, and procurement.
    (c) Performance Indicators. The first report, filed 180 days after 
the date of this order, shall include annual performance indicators and 
measurable objectives for department action. Each report filed 
thereafter shall measure the department's performance against the 
objectives set forth in the initial report.
    Sec. 6. Responsibilities of All Executive Departments and Agencies. 
All executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall: (a) designate 
an agency employee to serve as the liaison and point of contact with the 
White House OFBCI; and
    (b) cooperate with the White House OFBCI and provide such 
information, support, and assistance to the White House OFBCI as it may 
request, to the extent permitted by law.
    Sec. 7. Administration and Judicial Review. (a) The agencies' 
actions directed by this Executive Order shall be carried out subject to 
the availability of appropriations and to the extent permitted by law.

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    (b) This order does not create any right or benefit, substantive or 
procedural, enforceable at law or equity against the United States, its 
agencies or instrumentalities, its officers or employees, or any other 
person.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 January 29, 2001.

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 11:45 a.m., January 30, 
2001]

Note: This Executive order was published in the Federal Register on 
January 31.