Creation of the Gulf Coast Recovery and Rebuilding Council

Executive Order 13389 of November 1, 2005

Creation of the Gulf Coast Recovery and
Rebuilding Council

By the authority vested in me as President of the
United States 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. 5121-5206) (the “Stafford
Act”), and in order to further strengthen Federal
support for the recovery and rebuilding of the Gulf
Coast region affected by Hurricane Katrina and
Hurricane Rita, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of the United
States to provide effective, integrated, and fiscally
responsible support from across the Federal Government
to support State, local, and tribal governments, the
private sector, and faith-based and other community
humanitarian relief organizations in the recovery and
rebuilding of the Gulf Coast region affected by
Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita.

Sec. 2. Establishment. (a) There is established, within
the Executive Office of the President, the Gulf Coast
Recovery and Rebuilding Council (the “Council”). The
Assistant to the President for Economic Policy shall
serve as the Chairman of the Council (the
“Chairman”). The Council shall consist exclusively of
the following members or full-time Federal officers or
employees designated by them, respectively:

(i) Secretary of the Treasury;

(ii) Secretary of Defense;

(iii) Attorney General;

(iv) Secretary of the Interior;

(v) Secretary of Agriculture;

(vi) Secretary of Commerce;

(vii) Secretary of Labor;

(viii) Secretary of Health and Human Services;

(ix) Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;

(x) Secretary of Transportation;

(xi) Secretary of Energy;

(xii) Secretary of Education;

(xiii) Secretary of Veterans Affairs;

(xiv) Secretary of Homeland Security;

(xv) Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency;

(xvi) Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers;

(xvii) Administrator of the Small Business Administration;

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

(xix) Coordinator of Federal Support for the Recovery and Rebuilding of
the Gulf Coast Region;

(xx) Assistant to the President for Economic Policy;

(xxi) Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy;

(xxii) Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and
Counterterrorism; and

(xxiii) Such other officers and employees of the executive branch as the
Chairman may from time to time designate.

    (b) The Chairman, in consultation with the
Coordinator, shall convene and preside over meetings of
the Council, determine its agenda, direct its work,
and, as appropriate to particular subject matters,
establish and direct subgroups of the Council, which
shall consist of Council members or their designees
under subsection 2(a) of this order, and including
those officers and employees of the executive branch as
designated by the Chairman.

Sec. 3. Functions of Council. The Council shall:

    (a) at the request of the Chairman, the Coordinator
of Federal Support for the Recovery and Rebuilding of
the Gulf Coast Region, or any agency head who is a
member of the Council (subject to the approval of the
Chairman), promptly review and provide advice and
guidance, for the purpose of furthering the policy set
forth in section 1 of this order, regarding any issue
relating to the implementation of that policy;
    (b) make recommendations to the President, as
appropriate, regarding any issue considered by the
Council pursuant to section 3(a) of this order; and
    (c) give no vote or veto over the activities or
advice of the Council to any individual to whom
subsection (b) of this section refers.

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 Director of the Office of Administration shall provide or
arrange for the provision of administrative support to 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 shall be implemented in a manner
consistent with applicable law and subject to the
availability of appropriations.
    (d) 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.

Sec. 5. Termination. The Council shall terminate 3
years from the date of this order, unless extended by
the President.

    (Presidential Sig.)B

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    November 1, 2005.