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Skriven 2006-08-29 23:31:16 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0608299) for Tue, 2006 Aug 29
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Executive Order: Improving Assistance for Disaster Victims
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
August 29, 2006

Executive Order: Improving Assistance for Disaster Victims




By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws
of the United States of America, including the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.)
(the "Stafford Act"), and to take further actions to improve the delivery
of Federal disaster assistance, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of the Federal Government to ensure
that individuals who are victims of a terrorist attack, natural disaster,
or other incident that is the subject of an emergency or major disaster
declaration under the Stafford Act, and who are thereby eligible for
financial or other assistance delivered by any department or agency of the
executive branch (Federal disaster assistance) have prompt and efficient
access to Federal disaster assistance, as well as information regarding
assistance available from State and local government and private sector
sources.

Sec. 2. Task Force on Disaster Assistance Coordination. (a) Plan to Improve
Delivery of Federal Disaster Assistance. To further the policy in section 1
of this order, there is established the interagency "Task Force on Disaster
Assistance Coordination" (Task Force). The Task Force shall develop a plan
to streamline and otherwise improve the delivery of Federal disaster
assistance (Plan). The Plan shall:

(i) include an inventory of Federal disaster assistance programs and assess
the effectiveness of their respective delivery mechanisms;

(ii) recommend specific actions to improve the delivery of Federal disaster
assistance, which shall include actions to provide a centralized
application process for Federal disaster assistance; provide a centralized
and continuously updated clearinghouse from which disaster victims may
obtain information regarding Federal disaster assistance and State and
local government and private sector sources of disaster assistance; reduce
unnecessarily duplicative application forms and processes for Federal
disaster assistance; and strengthen controls designed to prevent improper
payments and other forms of fraud, waste, and abuse; and

(iii) include an implementation schedule for the Plan's recommendations
that provides for the phased implementation of the Plan by December 31,
2008, including quarterly milestones and metrics to be used to measure and
evaluate implementation.

(b) Membership of the Task Force. (i) The Task Force shall consist
exclusively of the following members, or their designees who shall be at
the Assistant Secretary level (or its equivalent) or higher:

(A) the Secretary of Homeland Security, who shall serve as Chair;

(B) the Secretary of the Treasury;

(C) the Secretary of Defense;

(D) the Attorney General;

(E) the Secretary of Agriculture;

(F) the Secretary of Commerce;

(G) the Secretary of Labor;

(H) the Secretary of Health and Human Services;

(I) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;

(J) the Secretary of Education;

(K) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs;

(L) the Director of the Office of Personnel Management;

(M) the Commissioner of Social Security;

(N) the Administrator of the Small Business Administration;

(O) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget; and

(P) such other officers of the United States as the Secretary of Homeland
Security may designate from time to time.

(ii) The Secretary of Homeland Security, or the Secretary's designee, shall
convene and preside at meetings of the Task Force, determine its agenda,
direct its work, and, as appropriate to address specific subject matters,
establish and direct subgroups of the Task Force. A member of the Task
Force may designate, to perform Task Force subgroup functions of the
member, any person who is part of such member's department or agency and
who is either an officer of the United States appointed by the President or
a member of the Senior Executive Service.

(c) Plan Approval and Implementation. Not later than March 1, 2007, the
Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit the Plan to the President for
approval through the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and
Counterterrorism and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
Upon approval of the Plan by the President, the Secretary of Homeland
Security, assisted by the Task Force, shall coordinate the implementation
of the Plan. Until the completion of such implementation, the Secretary of
Homeland Security shall submit a quarterly progress report to the Assistant
to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism and the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

Sec. 3. Assistance and Support. To the extent permitted by law, the heads
of all executive departments and agencies shall provide such assistance and
information as the Secretary of Homeland Security may request in carrying
out the Secretary's responsibilities under this order. Consistent with
applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations, the
Department of Homeland Security shall provide necessary funding and
administrative support for the Task Force.

Sec. 4. Administration. This order shall: (a) be implemented in a manner
consistent with applicable laws, including Federal laws protecting the
information privacy rights and other legal rights of Americans, and subject
to the availability of appropriations;

(b) be implemented in a manner consistent with the statutory authority of
the principal officers of executive departments and agencies as heads of
their respective departments or agencies; and

(c) not be construed to impair or otherwise affect the functions of the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budget,
administrative, regulatory, and legislative responsibilities.

Sec. 5. Judicial Review. This order is intended only to improve the
internal management of the Federal Government and is not intended to, and
does not, create any rights or benefits, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by a party against the United States, its
departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or
any other person.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

August 29, 2006.

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