Responsibilities of the Departments of Commerce 
                and Veterans Affairs and the Small Business 
                Administration With Respect to Faith-Based and 
                Community Initiatives

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, and in order to help the Federal Government 
                coordinate a national effort to expand opportunities 
                for faith-based and other community organizations and 
                to strengthen their capacity to better meet America's 
                social and community needs, it is hereby ordered as 
                follows:

                Section 1. Establishment of Centers for Faith-Based and 
                Community Initiatives at the Departments of Commerce 
                and Veterans Affairs and the Small Business 
                Administration.

                    (a) The Secretaries of Commerce and Veterans 
                Affairs and the Administrator of the Small Business 
                Administration shall each establish within their 
                respective agencies a Center for Faith-Based and 
                Community Initiatives (Center).
                    (b) Each of these Centers shall be supervised by a 
                Director, appointed by the agency head in consultation 
                with the White House Office of Faith-Based and 
                Community Initiatives (White House OFBCI).
                    (c) Each agency shall provide its Center with 
                appropriate staff, administrative support, and other 
                resources to meet its responsibilities under this 
                order.
                    (d) Each Center shall begin operations no later 
                than 45 days from the date of this order.

                Sec. 2. Purpose of Executive Branch Centers for Faith-
                Based and Community Initiatives. The purpose of the 
                agency Centers will be to coordinate agency efforts to 
                eliminate regulatory, contracting, and other 
                programmatic obstacles to the participation of faith-
                based and other community organizations in the 
                provision of social and community services.

                Sec. 3. Responsibilities of the Centers for Faith-Based 
                and Community Initiatives. Each Center shall, to the 
                extent permitted by law:

                    (a) conduct, in coordination with the White House 
                OFBCI, an agency-wide audit to identify all existing 
                barriers to the participation of faith-based and other 
                community organizations in the delivery of social and 
                community services by the agency, including but not 
                limited to regulations, rules, orders, procurement, and 
                other internal policies and practices, and outreach 
                activities that either facially discriminate against or 
                otherwise discourage or disadvantage the participation 
                of faith-based and other community organizations in 
                Federal programs;
                    (b) coordinate a comprehensive agency effort to 
                incorporate faith-based and other community 
                organizations in agency programs and initiatives to the 
                greatest extent possible;
                    (c) propose initiatives to remove barriers 
                identified pursuant to section 3(a) of this order, 
                including but not limited to reform of regulations, 
                procurement, and other internal policies and practices, 
                and outreach activities;
                    (d) propose the development of innovative pilot and 
                demonstration programs to increase the participation of 
                faith-based and other community organizations in 
                Federal as well as State and local initiatives; and

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                    (e) develop and coordinate agency outreach efforts 
                to disseminate information more effectively to faith-
                based and other community organizations with respect to 
                programming changes, contracting opportunities, and 
                other agency initiatives, including but not limited to 
                Web and Internet resources.

                Sec. 4. Reporting Requirements. (a) Report. Not later 
                than 180 days from the date of this order and annually 
                thereafter, each of the three Centers described in 
                section 1 of this order shall prepare and submit a 
                report to the President through the White House OFBCI.

                    (b) Contents. The report shall include a 
                description of the agency's efforts in carrying out its 
                responsibilities under this order, including but not 
                limited to:

  (i) a comprehensive analysis of the barriers to the full participation of 
faith-based and other community organizations in the delivery of social and 
community services identified pursuant to section 3(a) of this order and 
the proposed strategies to eliminate those barriers; and

  (ii) a summary of the technical assistance and other information that 
will be available to faith-based and other community organizations 
regarding the program activities of the agency and the preparation of 
applications or proposals for grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, 
and procurement.

                    (c) Performance Indicators. The first report, filed 
                pursuant to section 4(a) of this order, shall include 
                annual performance indicators and measurable objectives 
                for agency action. Each report filed thereafter shall 
                measure the agency's performance against the objectives 
                set forth in the initial report.

                Sec. 5. Responsibilities of the Secretaries of Commerce 
                and Veterans Affairs and the Administrator of the Small 
                Business Administration. The Secretaries and the 
                Administrator shall:

                    (a) designate an employee within their respective 
                agencies to serve as the liaison and point of contact 
                with the White House OFBCI; and
                    (b) cooperate with the White House OFBCI and 
                provide such information, support, and assistance to 
                the White House OFBCI as it may request, to the extent 
                permitted by law.

                Sec. 6. Administration and Judicial Review. (a) The 
                agency actions directed by this executive order shall 
                be carried out subject to the availability of 
                appropriations and to the extent permitted by law.

                    (b) This order 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, employees 
                or agents, or any other person.

                    (Presidential Sig.)B

                THE WHITE HOUSE,