Establishing a White House Council on Women And Girls

Executive Order 13506 of March 11, 2009

Establishing a White House Council on Women And
Girls

By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, I hereby order as follows:

Section 1. Policy. Over the past generation, our
society has made tremendous progress in eradicating
barriers to women's success. A record number of women
are attending college and graduate school. Women make
up a growing share of our workforce, and more women are
corporate executives and business owners than ever
before, helping boost the U.S. economy and foster U.S.
competitiveness around the world. Today, women are
serving at the highest levels of all branches of our
Government.

Despite this progress, certain inequalities continue to
persist. On average, American women continue to earn
only about 78 cents for every dollar men make, and
women are still significantly underrepresented in the
science, engineering, and technology fields. Far too
many women lack health insurance, and many are unable
to take time off to care for a new baby or an ailing
family member. Violence against women and girls remains
a global epidemic. The challenge of ensuring equal
educational opportunities for women and girls endures.
As the current economic crisis has swept across our
Nation, women have been seriously affected.

These issues do not concern just women. When jobs do
not offer family leave, that affects men who wish to
help care for their families. When women earn less than
men for the same work, that affects families who have
to work harder to make ends meet. When our daughters do
not have the same educational and career opportunities
as our sons, that affects entire communities, our
economy, and our future as a Nation.

The purpose of this order is to establish a coordinated
Federal response to issues that particularly impact the
lives of women and girls and to ensure that Federal
programs and policies address and take into account the
distinctive concerns of women and girls, including
women of color and those with disabilities.

Sec. 2. White House Council on Women and Girls. There
is established within the Executive Office of the
President a White House Council on Women and Girls
(Council).

(a) Membership of the Council. The Council shall consist of the following
members:

(1) the Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental
Affairs and Public Liaison, who shall serve as Chair of the Council;

(2) the Secretary of State;

(3) the Secretary of the Treasury;

(4) the Secretary of Defense;

(5) the Attorney General;

(6) the Secretary of the Interior;

(7) the Secretary of Agriculture;

(8) the Secretary of Commerce;

(9) the Secretary of Labor;

(10) the Secretary of Health and Human Services;

(11) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;

(12) the Secretary of Transportation;

(13) the Secretary of Energy;

(14) the Secretary of Education;

(15) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs;

(16) the Secretary of Homeland Security;

(17) the Representative of the United States of America to the United
Nations;

(18) the United States Trade Representative;

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

(20) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency;

(21) the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers;

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

(23) the Administrator of the Small Business Administration;

(24) the Assistant to the President and Director of the Domestic Policy
Council;

(25) the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and Director of the
National Economic Council; and

(26) the heads of such other executive branch departments, agencies, and
offices as the President may, from time to time, designate.

A member of the Council may designate, to perform the Council functions of
the member, a senior-level official who is a part of the member's
department, agency, or office, and who is a full-time officer or employee
of the Federal Government. At the direction of the Chair, the Council may
establish subgroups consisting exclusively of Council members or their
designees under this section, as appropriate.

(b) Administration of the Council. The Department of Commerce shall provide
funding and administrative support for the Council to the extent permitted
by law and within existing appropriations. The Chair shall convene regular
meetings of the Council, determine its agenda, and direct its work. The
Chair shall designate an Executive Director of the Council, who shall
coordinate the work of the Council and head any staff assigned to the
Council.

Sec. 3. Mission and Functions of the Council. The
Council shall work across executive departments and
agencies to provide a coordinated Federal response to
issues that have a distinct impact on the lives of
women and girls, including assisting women-owned
businesses to compete internationally and working to
increase the participation of women in the science,
engineering, and technology workforce, and to ensure
that Federal programs and policies adequately take
those impacts into account. The Council shall be
responsible for providing recommendations to the
President on the effects of pending legislation and
executive branch policy proposals; for suggesting
changes to Federal programs or policies to address
issues of special importance to women and girls; for
reviewing and recommending changes to policies that
have a distinct impact on women in the Federal
workforce; and for assisting in the development of
legislative and policy proposals of special importance
to women and girls. The functions of the Council are
advisory only.

Sec. 4. Outreach. Consistent with the objectives set
out in this order, the Council, in accordance with
applicable law, in addition to regular meetings, shall
conduct outreach with representatives of nonprofit
organizations, State and local government agencies,
elected officials, and other interested persons that
will assist with the Council's development of a
detailed set of recommendations.

Sec. 5. Federal Interagency Plan. The Council shall,
within 150 days of the date of this order, develop and
submit to the President a Federal interagency plan with
recommendations for interagency action consistent with
the goals of this order. The Federal interagency plan
shall include an assessment by each member executive
department, agency, or office of the status and scope
of its efforts to further the progress and advancement
of women and girls. Such an assessment shall include a
report on the status of any offices or programs that
have been created to develop, implement, or monitor
targeted initiatives concerning women or girls. The
Federal interagency plan shall also include
recommendations for issues, programs, or initiatives
that

should be further evaluated or studied by the Council.
The Council shall review and update the Federal
interagency plan periodically, as appropriate, and
shall present to the President any updated
recommendations or findings.

Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) The heads of executive
departments and agencies shall assist and provide
information to the Council, consistent with applicable
law, as may be necessary to carry out the functions of
the Council. Each executive department and agency shall
bear its own expense for participating in the Council.

(b) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the
head thereof; or

(ii) functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(c) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and
subject to the availability of appropriations.

(d) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or
benefit, 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.

    (Presidential Sig.)

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    March 11, 2009.