Establishment of a Coordinator of Federal Support 
                for the Recovery and Rebuilding of the Gulf Coast 
                Region

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, including the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 
                U.S.C. 101 et seq.) and the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
                Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, as amended (42 
                U.S.C. 5121-5206) (the ``Stafford Act'), and 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 (the ``Federal 
                Response').

                Sec. 2. Establishment of Coordinator. The Secretary of 
                Homeland Security (Secretary) shall establish in the 
                Department of Homeland Security the position of 
                Coordinator of Federal Support for the Recovery and 
                Rebuilding of the Gulf Coast Region (Coordinator). The 
                Coordinator shall be selected by the President and 
                shall be appointed by and report directly to the 
                Secretary. The Secretary shall make available to the 
                Coordinator such personnel, funds, and other resources 
                as may be appropriate to enable the Coordinator to 
                carry out the Coordinator's mission.

                Sec. 3. Mission and Functions of Coordinator. (a) The 
                Coordinator's mission shall be to work with executive 
                departments and agencies to ensure the proper 
                implementation of the policy set forth in section 1 of 
                this order by coordinating the Federal Response. The 
                Coordinator shall be the principal point of contact for 
                the President and his senior advisors with respect to 
                the Federal Response.

                    (b) Working with the input of all appropriate heads 
                of executive departments and agencies, the Coordinator 
                shall lead the process to develop the principles 
                governing and define the goals of the Federal Response. 
                The Coordinator shall communicate those principles and 
                goals to all Federal officials involved in the Federal 
                Response.
                    (c) Working with the input of all appropriate heads 
                of executive departments and agencies, the Coordinator 
                shall lead the development and monitor the 
                implementation of the specific policies and programs 
                that constitute the Federal Response, and ensure that 
                those polices and programs are consistent with the 
                principles and goals of the Federal Response.
                    (d) The Coordinator shall serve as the primary 
                point of contact within the executive branch with the 
                Congress, State and local governments, the private 
                sector, and community leaders regarding the Federal 
                Response. Working with the input of all appropriate 
                heads of executive departments and agencies, the 
                Coordinator shall be responsible for managing 
                information flow, requests for actions, and discussions 
                regarding the Federal Response with the Congress, State 
                and local governments, the private sector, and 
                community leaders.

                Sec. 4. Duties of Heads of Departments and Agencies. 
                Heads of executive departments and agencies shall 
                respond promptly to any request by the

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                Coordinator, and shall, consistent with applicable law, 
                provide such information as the Coordinator deems 
                necessary to carry out the Coordinator's mission, and 
                shall otherwise cooperate with the Coordinator to the 
                greatest extent practicable to facilitate the 
                performance of the Coordinator's mission.

                Sec. 5. 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;

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

  (iii) the chain of command over the Armed Forces provided in section 
162(b) of title 10, United States Code.

                    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with 
                applicable law, subject to the availability of 
                appropriations, and shall terminate 3 years from the 
                date of this order.
                    (c) As used in this order, the term ``agency' has 
                the meaning set forth for the term ``executive agency' 
                in section 105 of title 5, United States Code, 
                excluding the Government Accountability Office.
                    (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, entities, officers, employees or 
                agents, or any other person.

                    (Presidential Sig.)B

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                     November 1, 2005.