[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 23 (Monday, June 7, 2004)]
[Pages 980-982]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Executive Order 13342--Responsibilities of the Departments of Commerce 
and Veterans Affairs and the Small Business Administration With Respect 
to Faith-Based and Community Initiatives

June 1, 2004

    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 America's social and community needs, it 
is hereby ordered as follows:
    Section 1. Establishment of Centers for Faith-Based and Community 
Initiatives at the Departments of Commerce and Veterans Affairs and the 
Small Business Administration.
    (a) The Secretaries of Commerce and Veterans Affairs and the 
Administrator of the Small Business Administration 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

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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 and community 
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 
and community 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 three 
Centers described in section 1 of this order shall prepare and submit a 
report to the President through 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 and community 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 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 pursuant to 
section 4(a) 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 Secretaries of Commerce and Veterans 
Affairs and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration. The 
Secretaries 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

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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 in equity by a 
party against the United States, its departments, agencies, 
instrumentalities or entities, its officers, employees or agents, or any 
other person.
                                                George W. Bush
The White House,
June 1, 2004.

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 9:10 a.m., June 2, 
2004]

Note: This Executive order was published in the Federal Register on June 
3.