Helping Left-Behind Communities Make a Comeback
- Executive Order Number
- 14145
- President
- Joseph R. Biden Jr.
- Signed
- January 19, 2025
- Published
- January 24, 2025
- Source
- Federal Register
- Original Document
- https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-01-24/pdf/2025-01758.pdf
AI-Generated Summary
Executive Order Summary
Purpose
The purpose of this executive order is to enhance economic development in "left-behind" or "covered communities" by adopting a whole-of-government approach to increase the accessibility and coordination of existing and future federal programs.
Key Actions or Directives
- Policy Coordination: The Secretary of Commerce, through the Assistant Secretary for Economic Development, is tasked with coordinating federal investments and developing policy recommendations focused on place-based economic development in covered communities.
- Community Engagement: The order mandates improving engagement with state, tribal, territorial, local, and non-profit organizations to support community economic development.
- Technical Assistance: An interagency technical assistance network will be developed to provide a single point of entry for accessing federal resources and information.
- Funding Preferences: Implementing agencies are directed to include preferences for applications from entities in and serving covered communities in their funding opportunities.
- Grant Assistance: Agencies are to assist potential grant applicants, particularly in economically distressed regions, by providing guidance and technical assistance.
- Disaster Resilience: Agencies with field offices in economically distressed regions or disaster zones are to seek input on local needs, identify funding opportunities, and provide support for navigating funding applications post-disaster.
Significant Changes to Policy or Law
- Whole-of-Government Approach: The order formalizes a coordinated, multi-agency approach to economic development in specified communities, which is a significant policy shift towards integrated federal efforts.
- Preference for Covered Communities: The directive to include preferences in federal funding opportunities for covered communities introduces a new criterion in the allocation of federal resources.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increased coordination among multiple federal agencies could lead to more efficient use of resources and better alignment of programs. Agencies will need to adapt their processes to include new engagement and assistance protocols.
- Citizens: Residents of covered communities may experience improved access to federal programs, potentially leading to better economic opportunities, infrastructure, and resilience against disasters.
- International Relations: While primarily domestic, successful implementation could serve as a model for other nations facing similar regional disparities.
Main Stakeholders
- Federal Agencies: Particularly the implementing agencies listed, which include departments like Commerce, Agriculture, and Housing and Urban Development, among others.
- Local and Tribal Governments: These entities will benefit from increased federal support and coordination.
- Non-Profit Organizations: These groups will have enhanced opportunities for engagement and funding.
- Residents of Covered Communities: They stand to gain from targeted economic development initiatives.
Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: The order is careful to state that it does not create any enforceable rights or benefits, which limits its legal impact. It also emphasizes that implementation must be consistent with applicable law and subject to available appropriations.
- Constitutional: The order is issued under the President's authority as granted by the Constitution and laws of the United States, ensuring it falls within executive powers.
- Political: The focus on left-behind communities could be seen as a political strategy to address regional economic disparities and gain support in these areas. The order's success may depend on future administrations' willingness to continue and fund these initiatives.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.