Individuals With Disabilities in Emergency Preparedness

Executive Order 13347 of July 22, 2004

Individuals With Disabilities in Emergency
Preparedness

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

(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.

    (Presidential Sig.)B

THE WHITE HOUSE,

     July 22, 2004.