Organizing and Mobilizing the United States Government To Provide a Unified and Effective Response To Combat COVID-19 and To Provide United States Leadership on Global Health and Security

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 14 (Monday, January 25, 2021)]

[Presidential Documents]

[Pages 7019-7021]

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[FR Doc No: 2021-01759]

Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 86 , No. 14 / Monday, January 25, 2021 /

Presidential Documents

[[Page 7019]]

Executive Order 13987 of January 20, 2021

Organizing and Mobilizing the United States

Government To Provide a Unified and Effective Response

To Combat COVID-19 and To Provide United States

Leadership on Global Health and Security

By the authority vested in me as President by the

Constitution and the laws of the United States of

America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Purpose. The Federal Government must act

swiftly and aggressively to combat coronavirus disease

2019 (COVID-19). To that end, this order creates the

position of Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and

Counselor to the President and takes other steps to

organize the White House and activities of the Federal

Government to combat COVID-19 and prepare for future

biological and pandemic threats.

Sec. 2. Organizing the White House to Combat COVID-19.

position of Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and

Counselor to the President and takes other steps to

organize the White House and activities of the Federal

Government to combat COVID-19 and prepare for future

biological and pandemic threats.

Sec. 2. Organizing the White House to Combat COVID-19.

(a) In order to effectively, fully, and immediately

respond to COVID-19, there is established within the

Executive Office of the President the position of

Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to

the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator) and the

position of Deputy Coordinator of the COVID-19

Response. The COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall

report directly to the President; advise and assist the

President and executive departments and agencies

(agencies) in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic;

coordinate all elements of the COVID-19 response; and

perform such duties as the President may otherwise

direct. These duties shall include:

(i) coordinating a Government-wide effort to reduce disparities in the

response, care, and treatment of COVID-19, including racial and ethnic

disparities;

(ii) coordinating the Federal Government's efforts to produce, supply, and

distribute personal protective equipment, vaccines, tests, and other

supplies for the Nation's COVID-19 response, including through the use of

the Defense Production Act, as amended (50 U.S.C. 4501 et seq.);

(iii) coordinating the Federal Government's efforts to expand COVID-19

testing and the use of testing as an effective public health response;

(iv) coordinating the Federal Government's efforts to support the timely,

safe, and effective delivery of COVID-19 vaccines to the United States

population;

, including through the use of

the Defense Production Act, as amended (50 U.S.C. 4501 et seq.);

(iii) coordinating the Federal Government's efforts to expand COVID-19

testing and the use of testing as an effective public health response;

(iv) coordinating the Federal Government's efforts to support the timely,

safe, and effective delivery of COVID-19 vaccines to the United States

population;

(v) coordinating the Federal Government's efforts to support the safe

reopening and operation of schools, child care providers, and Head Start

programs, and to help ensure the continuity of educational and other

services for young children and elementary and secondary students during

the COVID-19 pandemic; and

(vi) coordinating, as appropriate, with State, local, Tribal, and

territorial authorities.

(b) The COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall have

the authority to convene principals from relevant

agencies, in consultation with the Assistant to the

President for Domestic Policy (APDP) on matters

involving the domestic COVID-19 response, and in

consultation with the Assistant to the President for

National Security Affairs (APNSA) on matters involving

the global COVID-19 response. The COVID-19 Response

Coordinator shall also coordinate any corresponding

deputies and interagency processes.

[[Page 7020]]

(c) The COVID-19 Response Coordinator may act

through designees in performing these or any other

duties.

Sec. 3. United States Leadership on Global Health and

Security and the Global COVID-19 Response.

(a) Preparing to Respond to Biological Threats and

Pandemics. To identify, monitor, prepare for, and, if

necessary, respond to emerging biological and pandemic

threats:

her

duties.

Sec. 3. United States Leadership on Global Health and

Security and the Global COVID-19 Response.

(a) Preparing to Respond to Biological Threats and

Pandemics. To identify, monitor, prepare for, and, if

necessary, respond to emerging biological and pandemic

threats:

(i) The APNSA shall convene the National Security Council (NSC) Principals

Committee as necessary to coordinate the Federal Government's efforts to

address such threats and to advise the President on the global response to

and recovery from COVID-19, including matters regarding: the intersection

of the COVID-19 response and other national security equities; global

health security; engaging with and strengthening the World Health

Organization; public health, access to healthcare, and the secondary

impacts of COVID-19; and emerging biological risks and threats, whether

naturally occurring, deliberate, or accidental.

(ii) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the APNSA shall, in

coordination with relevant agencies, the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, and

the APDP, complete a review of and recommend actions to the President

concerning emerging domestic and global biological risks and national

biopreparedness policies. The review and recommended actions shall

incorporate lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and, among other things,

address: the readiness of the pandemic supply chain, healthcare workforce,

and hospitals; the development of a framework of pandemic readiness with

specific triggers for when agencies should take action in response to

large-scale biological events; pandemic border readiness; the development

and distribution of medical countermeasures; epidemic forecasting and

modeling; public health data modernization; bio-related intelligence;

bioeconomic investments; biotechnology risks; the development of a

framework for coordinating with and distributing responsibilities as

between th

should take action in response to

large-scale biological events; pandemic border readiness; the development

and distribution of medical countermeasures; epidemic forecasting and

modeling; public health data modernization; bio-related intelligence;

bioeconomic investments; biotechnology risks; the development of a

framework for coordinating with and distributing responsibilities as

between the Federal Government and State, local, Tribal, and territorial

authorities; and State, local, Tribal, and territorial preparedness for

biological events.

(b) NSC Directorate on Global Health Security and

Biodefense. There shall be an NSC Directorate on Global

Health Security and Biodefense, which shall be headed

by a Senior Director for Global Health Security and

Biodefense. The Senior Director shall be responsible

for monitoring current and emerging biological threats,

and shall report concurrently to the APNSA and to the

COVID-19 Response Coordinator on matters relating to

COVID-19. The Senior Director shall oversee the Global

Health Security Agenda Interagency Review Council,

which was established pursuant to Executive Order 13747

of November 4, 2016 (Advancing the Global Health

Security Agenda To Achieve a World Safe and Secure From

Infectious Disease Threats), and is hereby reconvened

as described in that order.

obal

Health Security Agenda Interagency Review Council,

which was established pursuant to Executive Order 13747

of November 4, 2016 (Advancing the Global Health

Security Agenda To Achieve a World Safe and Secure From

Infectious Disease Threats), and is hereby reconvened

as described in that order.

(c) Responsibility for National Biodefense

Preparedness. Notwithstanding any statements in the

National Security Presidential Memorandum-14 of

September 18, 2018 (Support for National Biodefense),

the APNSA shall be responsible for coordinating the

Nation's biodefense preparedness efforts, and, as

stated in sections 1 and 2 of this order, the COVID-19

Response Coordinator shall be responsible for

coordinating the Federal Government's response to the

COVID-19 pandemic.

Sec. 4. Prompt Resolution of Issues Related to the

United States COVID-19 Response. The heads of agencies

shall, as soon as practicable, bring any procedural,

departmental, legal, or funding obstacle to the COVID-

19 response to the attention of the COVID-19 Response

Coordinator. The COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall,

in coordination with relevant agencies, the APDP, and

the APNSA, as appropriate, immediately bring to the

President's attention any issues that require

Presidential guidance or decision-making.

Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order

shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

[[Page 7021]]

in coordination with relevant agencies, the APDP, and

the APNSA, as appropriate, immediately bring to the

President's attention any issues that require

Presidential guidance or decision-making.

Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order

shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

[[Page 7021]]

(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 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,

January 20, 2021.

[FR Doc. 2021-01759

Filed 1-22-21; 11:15 am]

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