[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 50 (Monday, December 16, 2002)]
[Pages 2160-2161]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Executive Order 13280--Responsibilities of the Department of Agriculture 
and the Agency for International Development With Respect to Faith-Based 
and Community Initiatives

December 12, 2002

    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 Centers for Faith-Based and Community 
Initiatives at the Department of Agriculture and the Agency for 
International Development. (a) The Secretary of Agriculture and the 
Administrator of the Agency for International Development shall each 
establish within their respective agencies a Center for Faith-Based and 
Community Initiatives (Center).
    (b) Each of these Centers shall be supervised by a Director, 
appointed by the agency head in consultation with the White House Office 
of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (White House OFBCI).
    (c) Each agency shall provide its Center with appropriate staff, 
administrative support, and other resources to meet its responsibilities 
under this order.
    (d) Each Center shall begin operations no later than 45 days from 
the date of this order.
    Sec. 2.  Purpose of Executive Branch Centers for Faith-Based and 
Community Initiatives. The purpose of the agency Centers will be to 
coordinate agency 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.
    Sec. 3. Responsibilities of the 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, an agency-
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 agency, 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 agency effort to incorporate faith-
based and other community organizations in agency 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 agency outreach efforts to disseminate 
information more effectively to faith-based and other community 
organizations with respect to programming changes, contracting 
opportunities, and other agency initiatives, including but not limited 
to Web and Internet resources.
    Sec. 4. Reporting Requirements.
    (a) Report. Not later than 180 days from the date of this order and 
annually thereafter, each of the two 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 agency's 
efforts in carrying out its responsibilities under this order, including 
but not limited to:
(i)          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
(ii)         a summary of the technical assistance and other information 
            that will be available to faith-based and other community 
            organizations regarding

[[Page 2161]]

            the program activities of the agency 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 agency action. Each report filed thereafter 
shall measure the agency's performance against the objectives set forth 
in the initial report.
    Sec. 5. Responsibilities of the Secretary of Agriculture and the 
Administrator of the Agency for International Development. The Secretary 
and the Administrator shall:
    (a) designate an employee within their respective agencies 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. 6. Administration and Judicial Review. (a) The agency actions 
directed by this executive order shall be carried out subject to the 
availability of appropriations and to the extent permitted by law.
    (b) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or 
benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or equity by a 
party against the United States, its agencies, or entities, its 
officers, employees or agents, or any other person.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 December 12, 2002.

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 12:09 p.m., December 
13, 2002]

Note: This Executive order was published in the Federal Register on 
December 16.