Establishing a Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors and a Task Force on Returning Global War on Terror Heroes

Executive Order 13426 of March 6, 2007

Establishing a Commission on Care for America's
Returning Wounded Warriors and a Task Force on
Returning Global War on Terror Heroes

By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, and to provide a comprehensive review of the
care provided to America's returning Global War on
Terror service men and women from the time they leave
the battlefield through their return to civilian life,
it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Establishment of Commission. There is
established the President's Commission on Care for
America's Returning Wounded Warriors (Commission).

Sec. 2. Membership of Commission. The Commission shall
be composed of nine members appointed by the President.
The President shall designate two Co-Chairs from among
the members of the Commission.

Sec. 3. Mission of Commission. The mission of the
Commission shall be to:

(a) examine the effectiveness of returning wounded
service members' transition from deployment in support
of the Global War on Terror to successful return to
productive military service or civilian society, and
recommend needed improvements;

(b) evaluate the coordination, management, and adequacy
of the delivery of health care, disability, traumatic
injury, education, employment, and other benefits and
services to returning wounded Global War on Terror
service members by Federal agencies as well as by the
private sector, and recommend ways to ensure that
programs provide high-quality services;

(c) (i) analyze the effectiveness of existing outreach
to service members regarding such benefits and
services, and service members' level of awareness of
and ability to access these benefits and services, and
(ii) identify ways to reduce barriers to and gaps in
these benefits and services; and

(d) consult with foundations, veterans service
organizations, non-profit groups, faith-based
organizations, and others as appropriate, in performing
the Commission's functions under subsections (a)
through (c) of this section.

Sec. 4. Administration of Commission.

(a) The Secretary of Defense shall, to the extent
permitted by law, provide administrative support and
funding for the Commission. To the extent permitted by
law, office space, analytical support, and staff
support for the Commission shall be provided by the
Department of Defense.

(b) Members of the Commission shall serve without any
compensation for their work on the Commission. Members
of the Commission appointed from among private citizens
of the United States, while engaged in the work of the
Commission, may be allowed travel expenses, including
per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law
for persons serving intermittently in Government
service (5 U.S.C. 5701-5707), consistent with the
availability of funds.

(c) The Co-Chairs of the Commission shall select an
Executive Director to coordinate administration of the
Commission.

(d) The heads of executive branch departments and
agencies shall, to the extent permitted by law, provide
the Commission with information as requested by the Co-
Chairs.

(e) The Co-Chairs of the Commission shall convene and
preside at the meetings of the Commission, determine
its agenda, and direct its work.

(f) The functions of the President under the Federal
Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C.
App.)(Act), except for those in section 6 of that Act,
that are applicable to the Commission, shall be
performed by the Secretary of Defense, in accordance
with the guidelines that have been issued by the
Administrator of General Services.

Sec. 5. Report of Commission. The Commission shall
report its recommendations to the President through the
Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs. The Commission shall issue a final report by
June 30, 2007, unless the Co-Chairs provide written
notice to the President that an extension is necessary,
in which case the Commission shall issue the final
report by July 31, 2007.

Sec. 6. Termination of Commission. The Commission shall
terminate 30 days after submitting its final report,
unless extended by the President prior to that date.

Sec. 7. Establishment of Task Force. The Secretary of
Veterans Affairs (Secretary) shall establish within the
Department of Veterans Affairs for administrative
purposes only an Interagency Task Force on Returning
Global War on Terror Heroes (Task Force).

Sec. 8. Membership and Operation of Task Force. The
Task Force shall consist exclusively of the following
members, or their designees who shall be at the Under
Secretary level (or its equivalent) or higher:

(a) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, who shall serve
as Chair;

(b) the Secretary of Defense;

(c) the Secretary of Labor;

(d) the Secretary of Health and Human Services;

(e) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;

(f) the Secretary of Education;

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

(h) the Administrator of the Small Business
Administration; and

(i) other officers or employees of the United States,
as determined by the Secretary.

The Secretary or the Secretary's designee shall convene
and preside at meetings of the Task Force and direct
its work. The Secretary shall designate an official of
the Department of Veterans Affairs to serve as the
Executive Secretary of the Task Force, and the
Executive Secretary shall head any staff assigned to
the Task Force.

Sec. 9. Mission of Task Force. The mission of the Task
Force shall be to:

(a) identify and examine existing Federal services that
currently are provided to returning Global War on
Terror service members;

(b) identify existing gaps in such services;

(c) seek recommendations from appropriate Federal
agencies on ways to fill those gaps as effectively and
expeditiously as possible using existing resources; and

(d) (i) ensure that in providing services to these
service members, appropriate Federal agencies are
communicating and cooperating effectively, and (ii)
facilitate the fostering of agency communications and
cooperation through informal and formal means, as
appropriate.

Sec. 10. Administration of Task Force. The Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall, to the extent permitted by law,
provide administrative support and funding for the Task
Force.

Sec. 11. Action Plan of Task Force. Consistent with
applicable law, the Task Force shall outline a
Government-wide action plan that identifies existing
Federal services for returning Global War on Terror
service men and women and that ensures the provision of
such services to those service members as effectively
and expeditiously as possible. The Task Force shall
submit the action plan to the President within 45 days
of the date of this order.

Sec. 12. Termination of Task Force. The Secretary, with
the approval of the President, shall terminate the Task
Force upon the completion of its duties.

Sec. 13. General Provisions.

(a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair
or otherwise affect (i) authority granted by law to an
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 or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity, against the United
States, its departments, agencies, entities, officers,
employees, agents, or any other person.

    (Presidential Sig.)

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    March 6, 2007.