[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 9 (Monday, March 1, 2004)]
[Pages 304-306]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Executive Order 13331--National and Community Service Programs

February 27, 2004

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and 
the laws of the United States of America, and to strengthen the ability 
of programs authorized under the national service laws to build and 
reinforce a culture of service, citizenship, and responsibility 
throughout our Nation, and to institute reforms to improve 
accountability and efficiency in the administration of those programs, 
it is hereby ordered as follows:
    Section 1. Definitions. For purposes of this order:
    (a) ``National service laws'' means the National and Community 
Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12501 et seq.) and the Domestic Volunteer 
Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4950 et seq.);
    (b) ``National and community service programs'' means those programs 
authorized under the national service laws;
    (c) ``Policies governing programs authorized under the national 
service laws'' refers to all policies, programs, guidelines, and 
regulations, including official guidance and internal agency procedures 
and practices, that are issued by the Corporation for National and 
Community Service (Corporation) and have significant effects on national 
and community service programs; and
    (d) ``Professional corps programs'' means those programs described 
in section 122(a)(8) of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 
(42 U.S.C. 12572(a)(8)).
    Sec. 2. Fundamental Principles and Policymaking Criteria. In 
formulating and implementing policies governing programs authorized 
under the national service laws, the Corporation shall, to the extent 
permitted by law, adhere to the following fundamental principles:
    (a) National and community service programs should support and 
encourage greater engagement of Americans in volunteering;
    (b) National and community service programs should be more 
responsive to State and local needs;
    (c) National and community service programs should make Federal 
support more accountable and more effective; and
    (d) National and community service programs should expand 
opportunities for involvement of faith-based and other community 
organizations.
    Sec. 3. Agency Implementation. (a) The Chief Executive Officer of 
the Corporation for National and Community Service (Chief Executive 
Officer) shall, in coordination with the USA Freedom Corps Council, 
review and evaluate existing policies governing national and community 
service programs in order to assess the consistency of such policies 
with the fundamental principles and policymaking criteria described in 
section 2 of this order.
    (b) The Chief Executive Officer shall ensure that all policies 
governing national and community service programs issued by the 
Corporation are consistent with the fundamental principles and 
policymaking criteria described in section 2 of this order. To that end, 
the Chief Executive Officer shall, to the extent permitted by law,
     (i) amend all such existing policies to ensure that they are 
      consistent with the fundamental principles and policymaking 
      criteria articulated in section 2 of this order; and
     (ii) where appropriate, implement new policies that are consistent 
      with and necessary to further the fundamental principles and 
      policymaking criteria set forth in section 2 of this order.
    (c) In developing implementation steps, the Chief Executive Officer 
should address, at a minimum, the following objectives:
     (i) National and community service programs should leverage Federal 
      resources to maximize support from the private sector and from 
      State and local governments, with an emphasis on reforms that 
      enhance programmatic flexibility, reduce administrative burdens, 
      and calibrate Federal assistance to the respective needs of 
      recipient organizations;
     (ii) National and community service programs should leverage 
      Federal resources to enable the recruitment and effective 
      management of a larger number of volunteers than is currently 
      possible;

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     (iii) National and community service programs should increase 
      efforts to expand opportunities for, and strengthen the capacity 
      of, faith-based and other community organizations in building and 
      strengthening an infrastructure to support volunteers that meet 
      community needs;

     (iv) National and community service programs should adopt 
      performance measures to identify those practices that merit 
      replication and further investment, as well as to ensure 
      accountability;

     (v) National and community service programs should, consistent with 
      the principles of Federalism and the constitutional role of the 
      States and Indian tribes, promote innovation, flexibility, and 
      results at all levels of government;

     (vi) National and community service programs based in schools 
      should employ tutors who meet required paraprofessional 
      qualifications, and use such practices and methodologies as are 
      required for supplemental educational services;

     (vii) National and community service programs should foster a 
      lifetime of citizenship and civic engagement among those who 
      serve;

     (viii) National and community service programs should avoid or 
      eliminate practices that displace volunteers who are not supported 
      under the national service laws; and

     (ix) Guidelines for the selection of national and community service 
      programs should recognize the importance of professional corps 
      programs in light of the fundamental principles and policymaking 
      criteria set forth in this order.

    Sec. 4. Management Reforms. (a) The Corporation should implement 
internal management reforms to strengthen its oversight of national and 
community service programs through enforcement of performance and 
compliance standards and other management tools.

    (b) Management reforms should include, but should not be limited to, 
the following:

     (i) Institutionalized changes to the budgetary and grant-making 
      processes to ensure that financial commitments remain within 
      available resources;

     (ii) Enhanced accounting and management systems that would ensure 
      compliance with fiscal restrictions and provide timely, accurate, 
      and readily available information about enrollment in AmeriCorps 
      and about funding and obligations incurred for all national and 
      community service programs;

     (iii) Assurance by the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief 
      Financial Officer in the Corporation's Management Representation 
      Letter that its financial statements, including the Statement of 
      Budgetary Resources, are accurate and reliable; and

     (iv) Management reforms that tie employee performance to fiscal 
      responsibility, attainment of management goals, and professional 
      conduct.

    Sec. 5. Report. Within 180 days after the date of this order, the 
Chief Executive Officer shall report to the President, through the 
Assistant to the President and Director of the USA Freedom Corps Office, 
the actions the Corporation proposes to undertake to accomplish the 
objectives set forth in this order.

    Sec. 6. Judicial Review. This order is not intended to, and does 
not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable 
at law or in equity by a party against the United States, its 
departments, agencies, or other entities, its officers or employees, or 
any other person.

                                                George W. Bush

 The White House,
 February 27, 2004.

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., March 2, 
2004]

Note: This Executive order will be published in the Federal Register on 
March 3.

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