Establishment of a White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative, 20715-20717 [2018-09895]

Agencies

• Executive Office of the President

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 8, 2018)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 20715-20717]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-09895]




                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 83 , No. 89 / Tuesday, May 8, 2018 / 
Presidential Documents

[[Page 20715]]


                Executive Order 13831 of May 3, 2018

                
Establishment of a White House Faith and 
                Opportunity Initiative

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, and to assist faith-based and other 
                organizations in their efforts to strengthen the 
                institutions of civil society and American families and 
                communities, it is hereby ordered as follows:

                Section 1. Policy. Faith-based and community 
                organizations have tremendous ability to serve 
                individuals, families, and communities through means 
                that are different from those of government and with 
                capacity that often exceeds that of government. These 
                organizations lift people up, keep families strong, and 
                solve problems at the local level. The executive branch 
                wants faith-based and community organizations, to the 
                fullest opportunity permitted by law, to compete on a 
                level playing field for grants, contracts, programs, 
                and other Federal funding opportunities. The efforts of 
                faith-based and community organizations are essential 
                to revitalizing communities, and the Federal Government 
                welcomes opportunities to partner with such 
                organizations through innovative, measurable, and 
                outcome-driven initiatives.

                Sec. 2. Amendments to Executive Orders. (a) Executive 
                Order 13198 of January 29, 2001 (Agency 
                Responsibilities With Respect to Faith-Based and 
                Community Initiatives), Executive Order 13279 of 
                December 12, 2002 (Equal Protection of the Laws for 
                Faith-Based and Community Organizations), as amended by 
                Executive Order 13559 of November 17, 2010 (Fundamental 
                Principles and Policymaking Criteria for Partnerships 
                with Faith-Based and Other Neighborhood Organizations), 
                Executive Order 13280 of December 12, 2002 
                (Responsibilities of the Department of Agriculture and 
                the Agency for International Development With Respect 
                to Faith-Based and Community Initiatives), Executive 
                Order 13342 of June 1, 2004 (Responsibilities of the 
                Departments of Commerce and Veterans Affairs and the 
                Small Business Administration with Respect to Faith-
                Based and Community Initiatives), and Executive Order 
                13397 of March 7, 2006 (Responsibilities of the 
                Department of Homeland Security With Respect to Faith-
                Based and Community Initiatives), are hereby amended 
                by:

(i) substituting ``White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative'' for 
``White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives'' each time 
it appears in those orders;

(ii) substituting ``White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative'' for 
``White House OFBCI'' each time it appears in those orders;

(iii) substituting ``Centers for Faith and Opportunity Initiatives'' for 
``Centers for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives'' each time it appears 
in those orders; and

(iv) substituting ``White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative'' for 
``Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships'' each time it 
appears in those orders.

                    (b) Executive Order 13279, as amended, is further 
                amended by striking section 2(h) and redesignating 
                sections 2(i) and 2(j) as sections 2(h) and 2(i), 
                respectively.

                Sec. 3. White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative. 
                (a) There is established within the Executive Office of 
                the President the White House Faith and Opportunity 
                Initiative (Initiative).

[[Page 20716]]

(i) The Initiative shall be headed by an Advisor to the White House Faith 
and Opportunity Initiative (Advisor). The Advisor shall be housed in the 
Office of Public Liaison and shall work with that office and the Domestic 
Policy Council, in consultation with the Centers for Faith-Based and 
Community Initiatives established by Executive Order 13198, Executive Order 
13280, Executive Order 13342, and Executive Order 13397, to implement this 
order.

(ii) The Initiative shall, from time to time and consistent with applicable 
law, consult with and seek information from experts and various faith and 
community leaders from outside the Federal Government, including those from 
State, local, and tribal governments, identified by the Office of Public 
Liaison, the Domestic Policy Council, and the Centers for Faith and 
Opportunity Initiatives. These experts and leaders shall be identified 
based on their expertise in a broad range of areas in which faith-based and 
community organizations operate, including poverty alleviation, religious 
liberty, strengthening marriage and family, education, solutions for 
substance abuse and addiction, crime prevention and reduction, prisoner 
reentry, and health and humanitarian services.

(iii) The Advisor shall make recommendations to the President, through the 
Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, regarding changes to 
policies, programs, and practices that affect the delivery of services by 
faith-based and community organizations.

(iv) Executive departments and agencies (agencies) that lack a Center for 
Faith and Opportunity Initiative shall designate a Liaison for Faith and 
Opportunity Initiatives as a point of contact to coordinate with the 
Advisor in carrying out this order.

(v) All agencies shall, to the extent permitted by law, provide such 
information, support, and assistance to the Initiative as it may request to 
develop public policy proposals.

                    (b) To the extent permitted by law, the Initiative 
                shall:

(i) periodically convene meetings with the individuals described in section 
3(a)(ii) of this order;

(ii) periodically convene meetings with representatives from the Centers 
for Faith and Opportunity Initiatives and other representatives from across 
agencies as the Advisor may designate;

(iii) provide recommendations regarding aspects of my Administration's 
policy agenda that affect faith-based and community programs and 
initiatives;

(iv) help integrate those aspects of my Administration's policy agenda that 
affect faith-based and other community organizations throughout the Federal 
Government;

(v) showcase innovative initiatives by faith-based and community 
organizations that serve and strengthen individuals, families, and 
communities throughout the United States;

(vi) notify the Attorney General, or his designee, of concerns raised by 
faith-based and community organizations about any failures of the executive 
branch to comply with protections of Federal law for religious liberty as 
outlined in the Attorney General's Memorandum of October 6, 2017 (Federal 
Law Protections for Religious Liberty), issued pursuant to Executive Order 
13798 of May 4, 2017 (Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty); and

(vii) identify and propose means to reduce, in accordance with Executive 
Order 13798 and the Attorney General's Memorandum of October 6, 2017, 
burdens on the exercise of religious convictions and legislative, 
regulatory, and other barriers to the full and active engagement of faith-
based and community organizations in Government-funded or Government-
conducted activities and programs.

[[Page 20717]]

                Sec. 4. Revocation of Executive Orders. Executive Order 
                13199 of January 29, 2001 (Establishment of White House 
                Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives), and 
                Executive Order 13498 of February 5, 2009 (Amendments 
                to Executive Order 13199 and Establishment of the 
                President's Advisory Council for Faith-Based and 
                Neighborhood Partnerships), are hereby revoked.

                Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order 
                shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

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

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
relating to budgetary, 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 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,

                    May 3, 2018.

[FR Doc. 2018-09895
Filed 5-7-18; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F8-P