[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 30 (Monday, July 26, 2004)]
[Pages 1361-1362]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Executive Order 13347--Individuals With Disabilities in Emergency 
Preparedness

July 22, 2004

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and 
the laws of the United States of America, and to strengthen emergency 
preparedness with respect to individuals with disabilities, it is hereby 
ordered as follows:
    Section 1. Policy. To ensure that the Federal Government 
appropriately supports safety and security for individuals with 
disabilities in situations involving disasters, including earthquakes, 
tornadoes, fires, floods, hurricanes, and acts of terrorism, it shall be 
the policy of the United States that executive departments and agencies 
of the Federal Government (agencies):
    (a) consider, in their emergency preparedness planning, the unique 
needs of agency employees with disabilities and individuals with 
disabilities whom the agency serves;
    (b) encourage, including through the provision of technical 
assistance, as appropriate, consideration of the unique needs of 
employees and individuals with disabilities served by State, local, and 
tribal governments and private organizations and individuals in 
emergency preparedness planning; and
    (c) facilitate cooperation among Federal, State, local, and tribal 
governments and private organizations and individuals in the 
implementation of emergency preparedness plans as they relate to 
individuals with disabilities.
    Sec. 2. Establishment of Council. (a) There is hereby established, 
within the Department of Homeland Security for administrative purposes, 
the Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and 
Individuals with Disabilities (the ``Council''). The Council shall 
consist exclusively of the following members or their designees:
     (i) the heads of executive departments, the Administrator of the 
      Environmental Protection Agency, the Administrator of General 
      Services, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, and 
      the Commissioner of Social Security; and

[[Page 1362]]

     (ii) any other agency head as the Secretary of Homeland Security 
      may, with the concurrence of the agency head, designate.
    (b) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall chair the Council, 
convene and preside at its meetings, determine its agenda, direct its 
work, and, as appropriate to particular subject matters, establish and 
direct subgroups of the Council, which shall consist exclusively of 
Council members.
    (c) A member of the Council may designate, to perform the Council 
functions of the member, an employee of the member's department or 
agency who is either an officer of the United States appointed by the 
President, or a full-time employee serving in a position with pay equal 
to or greater than the minimum rate payable for GS-15 of the General 
Schedule.
    Sec. 3. Functions of Council. (a) The Council shall:
     (i) coordinate implementation by agencies of the policy set forth 
      in section 1 of this order;
     (ii) whenever the Council obtains in the performance of its 
      functions information or advice from any individual who is not a 
      full-time or permanent part-time Federal employee, obtain such 
      information and advice only in a manner that seeks individual 
      advice and does not involve collective judgment or consensus 
      advice or deliberation; and
     (iii) at the request of any agency head (or the agency head's 
      designee under section 2(c) of this order) who is a member of the 
      Council, unless the Secretary of Homeland Security declines the 
      request, promptly review and provide advice, for the purpose of 
      furthering the policy set forth in section 1, on a proposed action 
      by that agency.
    (b) The Council shall submit to the President each year beginning 1 
year after the date of this order, through the Assistant to the 
President for Homeland Security, a report that describes:
     (i) the achievements of the Council in implementing the policy set 
      forth in section 1;
     (ii) the best practices among Federal, State, local, and tribal 
      governments and private organizations and individuals for 
      emergency preparedness planning with respect to individuals with 
      disabilities; and
     (iii) recommendations of the Council for advancing the policy set 
      forth in section 1.
    Sec. 4. General. (a) To the extent permitted by law:
     (i) agencies shall assist and provide information to the Council 
      for the performance of its functions under this order; and
     (ii) the Department of Homeland Security shall provide funding and 
      administrative support for the Council.
    (b) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise 
affect the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and 
Budget relating to budget, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (c) This order is intended only to improve the internal management 
of the executive branch and 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 or employees, or any other 
person.
                                                George W. Bush
The White House,
July 22, 2004.

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 11:37 a.m., July 23, 
2004]

Note: This Executive order was published in the Federal Register on July 
26.