[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 1 (Monday, January 10, 2005)]
[Pages 19-21]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Executive Order 13369--President's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform

January 7, 2005

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and 
the laws of the United States of America, and to assist in reforming the 
Federal Internal Revenue Code to benefit all Americans, it is hereby 
ordered as follows:
    Section 1. Establishment. There is established the President's 
Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform (Advisory Panel).
    Sec. 2. Membership. (a) The Advisory Panel shall be composed of up 
to nine members appointed by the President.
    (b) The President shall designate one member of the Advisory Panel 
to serve as Chair and one member to serve as Vice Chair.
    Sec. 3. Purpose. The purpose of the Advisory Panel shall be to 
submit to the Secretary

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of the Treasury in accordance with this order a report with revenue 
neutral policy options for reforming the Federal Internal Revenue Code. 
These options should:
    (a) simplify Federal tax laws to reduce the costs and administrative 
burdens of compliance with such laws;
    (b) share the burdens and benefits of the Federal tax structure in 
an appropriately progressive manner while recognizing the importance of 
homeownership and charity in American society; and
    (c) promote long-run economic growth and job creation, and better 
encourage work effort, saving, and investment, so as to strengthen the 
competitiveness of the United States in the global marketplace.
    At least one option submitted by the Advisory Panel should use the 
Federal income tax as the base for its recommended reforms.
    Sec. 4. Administration. (a) The Department of the Treasury shall 
provide, to the extent permitted by law, administrative support and 
funding for the Advisory Panel. The Advisory Panel is established within 
the Department of the Treasury for administrative purposes only.
    (b) The Chair of the Advisory Panel shall convene and preside at the 
meetings of the Advisory Panel, determine its agenda after consultation 
with the Vice Chair, and direct its work. The Advisory Panel shall have 
a staff headed by an Executive Director who shall be selected by the 
President and report to the Chair.
    (c) Members of the Advisory Panel shall serve without compensation 
for their work on the Advisory Panel. Members of the Advisory Panel who 
are not officers or employees in the executive branch, while engaged in 
the work of the Advisory Panel, may be allowed travel expenses, 
including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law for 
persons serving intermittently in Government service (5 U.S.C. 5701 
through 5707), consistent with the availability of funds.
    (d) Consistent with applicable law, heads of executive departments 
and agencies shall provide to the Advisory Panel such assistance, 
including assignment or detail of personnel, and information as may be 
necessary for the Advisory Panel to perform its functions.
    (e) The Advisory Panel may conduct meetings in appropriate locations 
throughout the United States to obtain information and advice from 
Americans of diverse backgrounds and experience and from a diverse range 
of American entities, including large and small for-profit and non-
profit organizations, State, local, and tribal governments, and from 
other individuals and entities as appropriate. Public hearings shall be 
held at the call of the Chair.
    (f) Insofar as the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 
U.S.C. App.) (the ``Act''), may apply to the Advisory Panel, any 
functions of the President under that Act, except for those in section 6 
of that Act, shall be performed by the Secretary of the Treasury in 
accordance with the guidelines that have been issued by the 
Administrator of General Services.
    Sec. 5. Report. The Advisory Panel shall submit to the Secretary of 
the Treasury a report containing policy options in accordance with 
section 3 of this order as soon as practicable, but not later than July 
31, 2005.
    Sec. 6. Provisions. (a) 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.
    (b) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or 
benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity, 
against the United States, its departments, agencies, entities, 
officers, employees or agents, or any other person.
    Sec. 7. Termination. The Advisory Panel shall terminate 30 days 
after submitting its report pursuant to section 5 of this order.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 January 7, 2005.

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 9:02 a.m., January 11, 
2005]

Note: This Executive order will be published in the Federal Register on 
January 12.

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