National Security Professional Development

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, and in order to enhance the national security, 
                it is hereby ordered as follows:

                Section 1. Policy. In order to enhance the national 
                security of the United States, including preventing, 
                protecting against, responding to, and recovering from 
                natural and manmade disasters, such as acts of 
                terrorism, it is the policy of the United States to 
                promote the education, training, and experience of 
                current and future professionals in national security 
                positions (security professionals) in executive 
                departments and agencies (agencies).

                Sec. 2. National Strategy for Professional Development. 
                Not later than 60 days after the date of this order, 
                the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security 
                and Counterterrorism (APHS/CT), in coordination with 
                the Assistant to the President for National Security 
                Affairs (APNSA), shall submit to the President for 
                approval a National Strategy for the Development of 
                Security Professionals (National Strategy). The 
                National Strategy shall set forth a framework that will 
                provide to security professionals access to integrated 
                education, training, and professional experience 
                opportunities for the purpose of enhancing their 
                mission-related knowledge, skills, and experience and 
                thereby improve their capability to safeguard the 
                security of the Nation. Such opportunities shall be 
                provided across organizations, levels of government, 
                and incident management disciplines, as appropriate.

                Sec. 3. Executive Steering Committee. (a) There is 
                established the Security Professional Development 
                Executive Steering Committee (Steering Committee), 
                which shall facilitate the implementation of the 
                National Strategy. Not later than 120 days after the 
                approval of the National Strategy by the President, the 
                Steering Committee shall submit to the APHS/CT and the 
                APNSA an implementation plan (plan) for the National 
                Strategy, and annually thereafter shall submit to the 
                APHS/CT and the APNSA a status report on the 
                implementation of the plan and any recommendations for 
                changes to the National Strategy.

                (b) The Steering Committee shall consist exclusively of 
                the following members (or their designees who shall be 
                full-time officers or employees of the members' 
                respective agencies):

                (i) the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, 
                who shall serve as Chair;

                (ii) the Secretary of State;

                (iii) the Secretary of the Treasury;

                (iv) the Secretary of Defense;

                (v) the Attorney General;

                (vi) the Secretary of Agriculture;

                (vii) the Secretary of Labor;

                (viii) the Secretary of Health and Human Services;

                (ix) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;

                (x) the Secretary of Transportation;

                (xi) the Secretary of Energy;

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                (xii) the Secretary of Education;

                (xiii) the Secretary of Homeland Security;

                (xiv) the Director of National Intelligence;

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

                (xvi) such other officers of the United States as the 
                Chair of the Steering Committee may designate from time 
                to time.

                (c) The Steering Committee shall coordinate, to the 
                maximum extent practicable, national security 
                professional development programs and guidance issued 
                by the heads of agencies in order to ensure an 
                integrated approach to such programs.

                (d) The Chair of the Steering Committee shall convene 
                and preside at the meetings of the Steering Committee, 
                set its agenda, coordinate its work, and, as 
                appropriate to deal with particular subject matters, 
                establish subcommittees of the Steering Committee that 
                shall consist exclusively of members of the Steering 
                Committee (or their designees under subsection (b) of 
                this section), and such other full-time or permanent 
                part-time officers or employees of the Federal 
                Government as the Chair may designate.

                Sec. 4. Responsibilities. The head of each agency with 
                national security functions shall:

                (a) identify and enhance existing national security 
                professional development programs and infrastructure, 
                and establish new programs as necessary, in order to 
                fulfill their respective missions to educate, train, 
                and employ security professionals consistent with the 
                National Strategy and, to the maximum extent 
                practicable, the plan and related guidance from the 
                Steering Committee; and

                (b) cooperate with the Steering Committee and provide 
                such information, support, and assistance as the Chair 
                of the Steering Committee may request from time to 
                time.

                Sec. 5. Additional Responsibilities. (a) Except for 
                employees excluded by law, and subject to subsections 
                (b), (c), and (d) of this section, the Director of the 
                Office of Personnel Management, after consultation with 
                the Steering Committee, shall:

(i) consistent with applicable merit-based hiring and advancement 
principles, lead the establishment of a national security professional 
development program in accordance with the National Strategy and the plan 
that provides for interagency and intergovernmental assignments and 
fellowship opportunities and provides for professional development 
guidelines for career advancement; and

(ii) issue to agencies rules and guidance or apply existing rules and 
guidance relating to the establishment of national security professional 
development programs to implement the National Strategy and the plan;

                (b) The Secretary of Defense shall issue rules or 
                guidance on professional development programs for 
                Department of Defense military personnel, including 
                interagency and intergovernmental assignments and 
                fellowship opportunities, to implement the National 
                Strategy and the plan, as appropriate, and shall 
                coordinate such programs, to the maximum extent 
                practicable, with the Steering Committee;

                (c) The Secretary of State shall issue rules or 
                guidance on national security professional development 
                programs for the Foreign Service, including interagency 
                and intergovernmental exchanges and fellowship 
                opportunities, to implement the National Strategy and 
                the plan, as appropriate, and shall coordinate such 
                programs, to the maximum extent practicable, with the 
                Steering Committee;

                (d) The Director of National Intelligence, in 
                coordination with the heads of agencies of which 
                elements of the intelligence community are a part, 
                shall issue rules or guidance on national security 
                professional development

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                programs for the intelligence community, including 
                interagency and intergovernmental assignments and 
                fellowship opportunities, to implement the National 
                Strategy and the plan, as appropriate, and shall 
                coordinate such programs, to the maximum extent 
                practicable, with the Steering Committee; and

                (e) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall develop a 
                program to provide to Federal, State, local, and tribal 
                government officials education in disaster 
                preparedness, response, and recovery plans and 
                authorities, and training in crisis decision-making 
                skills, consistent with applicable presidential 
                guidance.

                Sec. 6. General Provisions. This order:

                (a) shall be implemented consistent with applicable law 
                and authorities of agencies, or heads of agencies, 
                vested by law, and subject to the availability of 
                appropriations;

                (b) shall not be construed to impair or otherwise 
                affect the authorities of any agency, instrumentality, 
                officer, or employee of the United States under 
                applicable law, including the functions of the Director 
                of the Office of Management and Budget relating to 
                budget, administrative, or legislative proposals, or 
                the functions assigned by the President to the Director 
                of the Office of Personnel Management; and

                (c) is not intended to, and does not, create any right, 
                benefit, or privilege, substantive or procedural, 
                enforceable at law or in equity, by any party against 
                the United States, its departments, agencies, 
                instrumentalities, or entities, its officers or 
                employees, or any other person.
                
                
                    President, George Bush

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                     May 17, 2007.