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Ärende: Press Release (0707184) for Wed, 2007 Jul 18
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Executive Order: Establishing An Interagency Working Group on Import Safety
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For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary July 18, 2007

Executive Order: Establishing An Interagency Working Group on Import Safety

˙˙White House News


˙˙˙˙ 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:

˙˙˙˙Section1.˙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

(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.

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