President Barack Obama Memorandums
Ensuring Responsible Spending of Recovery Act Funds, March 20, 2009.
Section 1 provides for ensuring merit-based decisionmaking for grants and other Federal financial assistance under the Recovery Act. Section 2
provides guidance for avoiding funding of imprudent projects not consistent with the objectives of the Recovery Act such as casinos, other forms
of gambling, aquariums, zoos, golf courses or swimming pools. Section 3 establishes very specific guidance for communicating with lobbyists.
Scientific Integrity, March 9, 2009.
The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall develop within 120 days recommendations for
Presidential action designed to guarantee scientific integrity throughout the executive branch that when
scientific or technological information is considered in policy decisions, the information should be subject to
well-established scientific processes, including peer review where appropriate, and each agency should appropriately
and accurately reflect that information in complying with and applying relevant statutory standards.
Government Contracting, March 4, 2009.
Notes the very significant increase in spending on Government contracts with excessive reliance on sole-source
and cost-reimbursement contracts, that the Government must strive for an open and competitive contracting process,
that the Government must have the capacity to carry out robust and thorough management and oversight of its contracts,
and that agencies and departments must operate under clear rules prescribing when outsourcing is and is not appropriate.
Directs that OMB in collaboration with DOD, GSA, NASA and OPM issue by Jul 1, 2009, Government-wide guidance to assist
agencies in reviewing existing contracts to identify contracts that are wasteful or inefficient and to develop
appropriate corrective action and to issue by September 30, 2009 Government-wide guidance to govern the appropriate
use of sole-source and other types of con-competitive contracts and govern the appropriate use and oversight of all
contracts in full consideration of agency needs.
Appliance Efficiency Standards, February 5, 2009.
The Department of Energy (DOE) is requested to take all necessary steps, consistent with the consent decree, EPACT and EISA to finalize
legally required efficiency standards as expeditiously as possible and consistent with all applicable judicial and statutory deadlines.
These standards include, most immediately, those covered by the five energy efficiency rules with deadlines prior to and including August 8, 2009.
Freedom of Information Act, January 21, 2009.
The Freedom of Information act should be administered with a clear
presumption: In the face of doubt, openness prevails. All agencies should adopt a presumption in favor of disclosure
to usher in a new era of open government. The presumption of disclosure also means that agencies should take
affirmative steps to make information public. They should not wait for specific requests from the public. The
Attorney General is to issue new guidelines governing the FOIA to heads of executive departments and agencies
reaffirming accountability and transparency and to make information public and publish the guidelines in the
Federal Register. The Director of OMB is to update guidance to agencies to increase and improve information
dissemination to the public through the use of new technologies and publish this guidance in the Federal Register.
Transparency and Open Government, January 21, 2009.
The Chief Technology Officer in coordination with the Director of OMB and the Administrator of General Services is to
coordinate the development, within 120 days, by appropriate executive departments and agencies recommendations for an Open Government Directive,
to be issued by the Director of OMB that instructs executive departments and agencies to take specific actions to implement the principles set forth
in the memorandum.
President Barack Obama Executive Orders
Establishment of the White Office of Health Reform, Executive Order 13507, April 8, 2009. The White House Office of Health Reform in the Executive Office of the President is responsible for coordinating the Federal Government's comprehensive effort to improve access to health care and for coordinating with the new Office of Health Reform in the Department of Health and Human services.
Establishing a White House Council on Women and Girls, Executive Order 13506, March 11, 2009. Establishes a coordinated Federal response to issues that impact the lives of women and girls and to ensure that Federal programs and policies address and take into account the distinctive concerns of women and girls, including women of color and those with disabilities.
Use Of Project Labor Agreements For Federal Construction Projects Executive Order, February 6, 2009. Large-scale construction projects pose special challenges to efficient and timely procurement of projects. Use of project labor agreements may prevent problems from developing by providing structure and stability of projects..
Establishing the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board Executive Order, February 6, 2009. The functions of the Board are advisory.. The Board shall meet regularly and shall solicit information and ideas across the country and from all sectors of the economy about the functioning of the economy, the condition of the financial and banking system, the prosperity of the American people and of American industry that can serve to inform the decisionmaking of the President and upon recommendation can provide information and re
commendation to any other agency with responsibilities related to the economy or financial markets or the National Economic Council.
Further Amendments To Executive Order 12835, Establishment Of The National Economic Council, February 5, 2009. Adds additional members to the National Economic Council including Secretary of Health and Human Services, Secretary of Education, Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs, Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change, Assistant to the President and Chief Technology Officer, and Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
Nondisplacement of Qualified Workers Under Service Contracts (E.O. 13495),
January 30, 2009.
Requires that a clause be included in solicitations/contracts that succeed a contract, for the same or similar services, that requires the contractor and its subcontractors to offer those employees (other than managerial and supervisory employees) the right of first refusal of employment under the contract for positions for which they are qualified.
Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Personnel (E.O. 13490),
January 21, 2009.
Establishes strict ethics requrements on all appointee positions in the Executive Branch of the Government.
Presidential Records (E.O. 13490), January 21, 2009.
The definition includes Vice Presidential Records.
White House Memorandums
Regulatory Review, January 20, 2009. Issued by Rahm Emanuel,
Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff. Establishes provision for President Obama appointees and designees to review and approve any
new or pending regulation prior to sending the regulation to the Office of the Federal Register for publication.
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