Executive Order 13509-Establishing a White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers
Issued 2009-06-23 by Barack Obama
Plain-English Overview
AI-generated summary explaining what this action does, who it affects, and why it matters
President Obama created a White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers in June 2009 to address the economic crisis hitting auto industry towns. The order noted that the auto industry had lost more than 400,000 jobs in the previous year, with unemployment, poverty, and home foreclosures reaching levels not seen in decades. The council's purpose was to coordinate how different federal agencies respond to problems affecting these communities and workers.
The council brought together leaders from numerous government departments—including Labor, Treasury, Commerce, Transportation, Energy, and many others—along with White House advisors. These officials would work together to develop policies helping automotive communities, advise the President on how proposed laws and policies might affect auto workers and their towns, and recommend changes to federal programs to better address their needs.
The constitutional basis for this action rests on the President's authority to manage the executive branch, which generally allows creating advisory councils within the White House. However, the extent of presidential reorganization authority has limits—while forming coordinating bodies is typically acceptable, fundamentally restructuring agencies created by Congress can raise constitutional questions depending on the scope of changes attempted.
AI-generated summary for educational purposes
Constitutional Analysis
How this action fits (or doesn't) within Article II authority and existing law
Executive Order 13509 ("Executive Order 13509-Establishing a White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers") restructures or establishes federal entities. The stated purpose: "that Federal programs and policies address and take into account these concerns." The President has authority to manage the executive branch under Article II, including creating task forces, councils, and working groups within the White House. However, creating independent agencies with binding regulatory authority, or fundamentally restructuring congressionally created departments, typically requires legislative authorization.
The Reorganization Act historically provided a framework for executive reorganization subject to congressional review. Current reorganization authority is more limited. The constitutionality depends on whether this order creates White House advisory bodies (acceptable) or attempts to restructure agencies in ways that conflict with their enabling statutes (questionable).
Official Summary
Administration of Barack H. Obama, 2009 Executive Order 13509—Establishing a White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers June 23, 2009 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. Policy. Over the last decade, the United States has experienced a decline in employment in the auto industry and among part suppliers. This decline has accelerated dramatically over the past year, with more than 400,000 jobs being lost in the industry. Unemployment in the automotive sector in towns and cities across the country has reached levels not seen in decades, with resulting increases in poverty and high home foreclosure rates. The purpose of this order is to establish a coordinated Federal response to issues that particularly impact automotive communities and workers and to ensure that Federal programs and policies address and take into account these concerns. Sec. 2. White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers. There is established within the Executive Office of the President the White House Council on A