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 Home > News & Policies > January 2008

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 22, 2008

Executive Order: Establishing the President's Advisory Council on Financial Literacy

     By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America and to promote and enhance financial literacy among the American people, it is hereby ordered as follows:

     Section 1.  Policy.  To help keep America competitive and assist the American people in understanding and addressing financial matters, it is the policy of the Federal Government to encourage financial literacy among the American people.

     Sec. 2.  Establishment of the Council.  There is established within the Department of the Treasury the President's Advisory Council on Financial Literacy (Council).

     Sec. 3.  Membership and Operation of the Council.  (a)  The Council shall consist of 19 members appointed by the President from among individuals not employed by the Federal Government, consistent with subsection (b) of this section.

     (b)  In selecting individuals for appointment to the Council, appropriate consideration should be given to selection of individuals with backgrounds as providers of, consumers of, promoters of access to, and educators with respect to financial education and financial services.  Each individual member of the Council will serve as a representative of his or her industry, trade group, public interest group, or other organization or group.  The composition of the Council will reflect the views of diverse stakeholders.

     (c)  The President shall designate a Chair and a Vice Chair from among the members of the Council.

     (d)  Subject to the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury (Secretary), the Chair shall convene and preside at meetings of the Council, determine its agenda, direct its work, and, as appropriate to deal with particular subject matters, establish and direct the work of subgroups of the Council that shall consist exclusively of members of the Council.

     (e)  The Vice Chair shall perform:

         (i)   the duties of the Chair when the position of Chair is vacant; and

         (ii)  such other functions as the Chair may from time to time assign.

     Sec. 4.  Functions of the Council.  To assist in implementing the policy set forth in section 1 of this order, the Council shall:

     (a)  obtain information and advice concerning financial literacy as appropriate in the course of its work from:

         (i)  officers and employees of executive departments and agencies (including members of the Financial Literacy and Education Commission), unless otherwise directed by the head of the department or agency;

         (ii)  State, local, territorial, and tribal officials;

         (iii) providers of, consumers of, promoters of access to, and educators with respect to financial services;

         (iv)  experts on matters relating to the policy set forth in section 1; and

         (v)  such other individuals as the Secretary may direct;

     (b)  advise the President and the Secretary consistent with this order on means to implement effectively the policy set forth in section 1, including by providing advice on means to:

         (i)   improve financial education efforts for youth in school and for adults in the workplace;

         (ii)  promote effective access to financial services, especially for those without access to such services;

         (iii)  establish effective measures of national financial literacy;

         (iv)  conduct research on financial knowledge, including the collection of data on the extent of financial knowledge of individuals; and

         (v)  strengthen and coordinate public and private sector financial education programs; and

     (c)  periodically report to the President, through the Secretary, on:

         (i)  the status of financial literacy in the United States;

         (ii)  progress made in implementing the policy set forth in section 1 of this order; and

         (iii) recommendations on means to further implement the policy set forth in section 1 of this order, including with respect to the matters set forth in subsection (b)(i) through (v) of this section.

     Sec. 5.  Administration of the Council.  (a)  To the extent permitted by law, the Department of the Treasury shall provide funding and administrative support for the Council, as determined by the Secretary, to implement this order.

     (b)  The heads of executive departments and agencies shall provide, as appropriate and to the extent permitted by law, such assistance and information to the Council as the Secretary may request to implement this order.

     (c)  Members of the Council:

         (i)  shall serve without any compensation for their work on the Council; and

         (ii)  while engaged in the work of the Council, may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law for persons serving intermittently in the Government (5 U.S.C. 5701-5707), consistent with the availability of funds.

     (d)  The Secretary shall designate an officer or employee of the United States within the Department of the Treasury to serve as an Executive Director to supervise the administrative support for the Council.

     Sec. 6.  Termination of the Council.  Unless extended by the President, the Council shall terminate 2 years from the date of this order.

     Sec. 7.  General Provisions.  (a) Insofar as the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.) (Act), may apply to the Council, any functions of the President under the Act, except for those in section 6 of the Act, shall be performed by the Secretary in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Administrator of General Services.

     (b)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

         (i)  authority granted by law to a department or agency or the head thereof; or

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

     (c)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

     (d)  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.

                             GEORGE W. BUSH

THE WHITE HOUSE,
    January 22, 2008.

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