[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 29 (Monday, July 23, 2007)]
[Pages 976-978]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Executive Order 13439--Establishing an Interagency Working Group on 
Import Safety

July 18, 2007

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and 
the laws of the United States of America, and to ensure that the 
executive branch takes all appropriate steps to promote the safety of 
imported products, it is hereby ordered as follows:
    Section 1. Establishment of Interagency Working Group on Import 
Safety. The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish 
within the Department of Health and Human Services for administrative 
purposes only an Interagency Working Group on Import Safety (Working 
Group).
    Sec. 2. Membership and Operation of Working Group.
    (a) The Working Group shall consist exclusively of the following 
members, or their designees who shall be officers of the United States 
appointed by the President or members of the Senior Executive Service:
(i)         the Secretary of Health and Human Services, who shall serve 
            as Chair;
(ii)        the Secretary of State;
(iii)       the Secretary of the Treasury;
(iv)        the Attorney General;
(v)         the Secretary of Agriculture;
(vi)        the Secretary of Commerce;
(vii)       the Secretary of Transportation;
(viii)      the Secretary of Homeland Security;
(ix)        the Director of the Office of Management and Budget;
(x)         the United States Trade Representative;
(xi)        the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency;
(xii)       the Chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission; and

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(xiii)      other officers or full-time or permanent part-time employees 
            of the United States, as determined by the Chair, with the 
            concurrence of the head of the department or agency 
            concerned.
    (b) The Chair shall convene and preside at meetings of the Working 
Group, determine its agenda, and direct its work. The Chair may 
establish and direct subgroups of the Working Group, as appropriate to 
deal with particular subject matters, that shall consist exclusively of 
members of the Working Group. The Chair shall designate an officer or 
employee of the Department of Health and Human Services to serve as the 
Executive Secretary of the Working Group. The Executive Secretary shall 
head any staff assigned to the Working Group and any subgroups thereof, 
and such staff shall consist exclusively of full-time or permanent part-
time Federal employees.
    Sec. 3. Mission of Working Group. The mission of the Working Group 
shall be to identify actions and appropriate steps that can be pursued, 
within existing resources, to promote the safety of imported products, 
including the following:
    (a) reviewing or assessing current procedures and methods aimed at 
ensuring the safety of products exported to the United States, including 
reviewing existing cooperation with foreign governments, foreign 
manufacturers, and others in the exporting country's private sector 
regarding their inspection and certification of exported goods and 
factories producing exported goods and considering whether additional 
initiatives should be undertaken with respect to exporting countries or 
companies;
    (b) identifying potential means to promote all appropriate steps by 
U.S. importers to enhance the safety of imported products, including 
identifying best practices by U.S. importers in selection of foreign 
manufacturers, inspecting manufacturing facilities, inspecting goods 
produced on their behalf either before export or before distribution in 
the United States, identifying origin of products, and safeguarding the 
supply chain; and
    (c) surveying authorities and practices of Federal, State, and local 
government agencies regarding the safety of imports to identify best 
practices and enhance coordination among agencies.
    Sec. 4. Administration of Working Group. The Chair shall, to the 
extent permitted by law, provide administrative support and funding for 
the Working Group.
    Sec. 5. Recommendations of Working Group. The Working Group shall 
provide recommendations to the President, through the Assistant to the 
President for Economic Policy, on the matters set forth in section 3 
within 60 days of the date of this order, unless the Chair determines 
that an extension is necessary. The Working Group may take other actions 
it considers appropriate to promote the safety of imported products.
    Sec. 6. Termination of Working Group. Following consultation with 
the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, the Chair shall 
terminate the Working Group upon the completion of its duties.
    Sec. 7. General Provisions.
    (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise 
affect (i) authority granted by law to a department, agency, or the head 
thereof, or (ii) functions of the Director of the Office of Management 
and Budget relating to budget, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law 
and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right, 
benefit, or privilege, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or 
in equity, by any party against the United States, its departments, 
agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other 
person.

                                                George W. Bush

 The White House,
 July 18, 2007.

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 10:46 a.m., July 19, 
2007]

Note: This Executive order was published in the Federal Register on July 
20.

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