[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 19 (Monday, May 12, 2003)]
[Pages 564-565]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Executive Order 13299--Interagency Group on Insular Areas

May 8, 2003

    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. Interagency Group on Insular Areas. (a) There is 
established, within the Department of the Interior for administrative 
purposes, the Interagency Group on Insular Areas (IGIA). The group shall 
consist exclusively of:
(i)          the heads of the executive departments; and
(ii)         the heads of such agencies as the Secretary of the Interior 
            may designate.
    (b) The Secretary of the Interior, or the Secretary's designee under 
section 1(c) of this order, shall convene and preside at the meetings of 
the IGIA, determine its agenda, direct its work and, as appropriate to 
deal with particular subject matters, establish and direct subgroups of 
the IGIA that shall consist exclusively of members of the IGIA.
    (c) A member of the IGIA may designate, to perform the IGIA or IGIA 
subgroup functions of the member, any person who is a part of the 
member's department or agency (agency) and who is either an officer of 
the United States appointed by the President or a member of the Senior 
Executive Service.
    Sec. 2. Functions of the IGIA. The IGIA shall:
    (a) provide advice on establishment or implementation of policies 
concerning American Samoa, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, and 
the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (Insular Areas) to:
(i)          the President, through the Office of Intergovernmental 
            Affairs in the White House Office, in written reports, at 
            least once each year; and
(ii)         the Secretary of the Interior;
    (b) obtain information and advice concerning Insular Areas from 
governors and other elected officials in the Insular Areas (including 
through a meeting at least once each year with such governors of the 
Insular Areas who may wish to attend) in a manner that seeks their 
individual advice and does not involve collective judgment or consensus 
advice or deliberation;
    (c) obtain information and advice concerning Insular Areas, as the 
IGIA determines appropriate, from representatives of entities or other 
individuals in a manner that

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seeks their individual advice and does not involve collective judgment 
or consensus advice or deliberation; and
    (d) at the request of the head of any agency who is a member of the 
IGIA, unless the Secretary of the Interior declines the request, 
promptly review and provide advice on a policy or policy implementation 
action affecting one of the Insular Areas proposed by that agency.
    Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) The Secretary of the Interior may, 
as the Secretary determines appropriate, make recommendations to the 
President, or to the heads of agencies, regarding policy or policy 
implementation actions of the Federal Government affecting the Insular 
Areas.
    (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.
    Sec. 4. Judicial Review. This order is intended only to improve the 
internal management of the Federal Government and is not intended to, 
and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, 
enforceable at law or 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,
 May 8, 2003.

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 10:47 a.m., May 9, 
2003]

Note: This Executive order was published in the Federal Register on May 
12.