EO 13397 Title 3--The President Executive Order 13397 of March 7, 2006 Responsibilities of the Department of Home]and Security 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 Govern- ment coordinate a national effort to expand opportunities for faith-based and other community organizations and to strengthen their capacity to bet- ter meet America's social and community needs, it is hereby ordered as fol- lows: Section 1. Establishment of a Center for Faith-Based and Community Initia- tives at the Department of Homeland Security. (a) The Secretary of Home]and Security (Secretary) shall establish within the Department of Home]and Security (Department) a Center for Faith- Based and Community Initiatives (Center). (b) The Center shall be supervised by a Director appointed by Secretary. The Secretary shall consult with the Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (WHOFBCI Director) prior to mak- ing such appointment. (c) The Department shall provide the Center with appropriate staff, ad- ministrative support, and other resources to meet its responsibilities under this order. (d) The Center shall begin operations no later than 45 days from the date of this order. Sec. 2. Purpose of Center. The purpose of the Center shall be to coordinate agency efforts to eliminate regulatory, contracting, and other programmatic obstacles to the participation of faith-based and other community organiza- tions in the provision of social and community services. Sec. 3. Responsibilities of the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initia- tives. In carrying out the purpose set forth in section 2 of this order, the Center shall: (a) conduct, in coordination with the WHOFBCI Director, a department- wide audit to identify all existing barriers to the participation of faith-based and other community organizations in the delivery of social and commu- nity services by the Department, including but not limited to regulations, rules, orders, procurement, and other internal policies and practices, and outreach activities that unlawfully discriminate against, or otherwise dis- courage or disadvantage the participation of faith-based and other commu- nity organizations in Federal programs; (b) coordinate a comprehensive departmental effort to incorporate faith- based and other community organizations in Department programs and ini- tiatives 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, pro- curement, and other internal policies and practices, and outreach activities; 214
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