OPAF PSA: INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES IN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

OPAF PSA: INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES IN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

Jeffrey S. Reznick

7/23/2004

The Orthotic and Prosthetic Assistance Fund (OPAF) offers the press
release from the White House Office of Public Liaison
( <URL Redacted>) as a public
service announcement (PSA) that helps to fulfill OPAF's official
representation of O&P in community and philanthropic circles.

OPAF aims primarily to enable individuals with physical disabilities --
especially those served by members of the U.S. orthotics and prosthetics
community -- to enjoy the rewards of personal achievement, physical
fitness, and social interaction. In achieving this goal, the Fund also
seeks to help raise public awareness of the benefits that individuals
with physical disabilities receive from physical activity, orthotics,
and prosthetics. Complete information about OPAF is available at
<URL Redacted>.

-----Original Message-----
From: Lineberry, Stephen M. [mailto:<Email Address Redacted>]
Sent: Friday, July 23, 2004 12:09 AM
Subject: President signs Executive Order in honor of 14th Anniversary of
the ADA - Homeland Security - INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES IN EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS

In honor of the upcoming fourteenth anniversary of the signing of the
Americans with Disabilities Act, which is next Monday, July 26, 2004,
the President met with people with disabilities, federal workers
involved with homeland security, and Secretary Tom Ridge in the Oval
Office today. The President signed an executive order regarding
emergency preparedness for people with disabilities before traveling to
the Northeastern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy in Glenview,
Illinois where he made remarks on homeland security.

The President realizes that individuals with disabilities may require
special plans during times of emergency and this Executive Order
emphasizes the importance of implementing emergency preparedness plans
that accommodate individuals with disabilities. The Executive Order
also establishes an Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency
Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities that will help agencies
and private individuals and organizations take into account the unique
needs of individuals with disabilities in their emergency preparedness
planning.

In February 2001, the President announced his New Freedom Initiative - a
comprehensive program to promote the full participation of people with
disabilities in all areas of society by increasing access to assistive
and universally designed technologies, expanding educational and
employment opportunities, and promoting increased access into daily
community life. Today's meeting in the Oval Office reflects the
President's ongoing commitment to ensure that Americans with
disabilities are able to enjoy all the opportunities our Nation has to
offer.

For more information on the President's New Freedom Initiative and a
2004 New Freedom Initiative progress report, go to
<URL Redacted>


THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
(Winnetka, Illinois)

For Immediate Release
July 22, 2004

EXECUTIVE ORDER

 - - - - - - -

INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES IN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the
laws of the United States of America, and to strengthen emergency
preparedness with respect to individuals with disabilities, it is hereby
ordered as follows:

Section 1. Policy. To ensure that the Federal Government appropriately
supports safety and security for individuals with disabilities in
situations involving disasters, including earthquakes, tornadoes, fires,
floods, hurricanes, and acts of terrorism, it shall be the policy of the
United States that executive departments and agencies of the Federal
Government (agencies):

(a) consider, in their emergency preparedness planning, the unique
needs of agency employees with disabilities and individuals with
disabilities whom the agency serves;

(b) encourage, including through the provision of technical assistance,
as appropriate, consideration of the unique needs of employees and
individuals with disabilities served by State, local, and tribal
governments and private organizations and individuals in emergency
preparedness planning; and

(c) facilitate cooperation among Federal, State, local, and tribal
governments and private organizations and individuals in the
implementation of emergency preparedness plans as they relate to
individuals with disabilities.

Sec. 2. Establishment of Council. (a) There is hereby established,
within the Department of Homeland Security for administrative purposes,
the Interagency Coordinating Council
on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities (the
Council). The Council shall consist exclusively of the following
members or their designees:

(i) the heads of executive departments, the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency, the Administrator of General Services,
the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, and the Commissioner
of Social Security; and

(ii) any other agency head as the Secretary of Homeland Security may,
with the concurrence of the agency head, designate.


(b) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall chair the Council, convene
and preside at its meetings, determine its agenda, direct its work, and,
as appropriate to particular subject matters, establish and direct
subgroups of the Council, which shall consist exclusively of Council
members.

(c) A member of the Council may designate, to perform the Council
functions of the member, an employee of the member's department or
agency who is either an officer of the United States appointed by the
President, or a full-time employee serving in a position with pay equal
to or greater than the minimum rate payable for GS-15 of the General
Schedule.

Sec. 3. Functions of Council. (a) The Council shall:

(i) coordinate implementation by agencies of the policy set forth in
section 1 of this order;

(ii) whenever the Council obtains in the performance of its functions
information or advice from any individual who is not a full-time or
permanent part-time Federal employee, obtain such information and advice
only in a manner that seeks individual advice and does not involve
collective judgment or consensus advice or deliberation; and

(iii) at the request of any agency head (or the agency head's designee
under section 2(c) of this order) who is a member of the Council, unless
the Secretary of Homeland Security declines the request, promptly review
and provide advice, for the purpose of furthering the policy set forth
in section 1, on a proposed action by that agency.

(b) The Council shall submit to the President each year beginning 1
year after the date of this order, through the Assistant to the
President for Homeland Security, a report that describes:

(i) the achievements of the Council in implementing the policy set
forth in section 1;

(ii) the best practices among Federal, State, local, and tribal
governments and private organizations and individuals for emergency
preparedness planning with respect to individuals with disabilities; and

(iii) recommendations of the Council for advancing the policy set forth
in section 1.

Sec. 4. General. (a) To the extent permitted by law:

(i) agencies shall assist and provide information to the Council for
the performance of its functions under this order; and

(ii) the Department of Homeland Security shall provide funding and
administrative support for the Council.

(b) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise
affect the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and
Budget relating to budget, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(c) 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, instrumentalities, or
entities, its officers or employees, or any other person.

GEORGE W. BUSH

THE WHITE HOUSE,
    July 22, 2004.

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