Health and social policy

Executive Order 13295: Revised List of Quarantinable Communicable Diseases

President: George W. Bush

Revised the list of diseases for which federal quarantine and isolation authority may be used under the Public Health Service Act.

Status: In effect as amended.

Is Executive Order 13295 still in effect? Yes. Active as amended; current quarantine authority.

What does Executive Order 13295 do?

The order assigned these duties: Department of Health and Human Services, CDC and the Secretary of Homeland Security — Revised the list of diseases for which federal quarantine and isolation authority may be used under the Public Health Service Act.

Checked the quarantinable-disease list mechanism against the order and subsequent amendments, including EO 14047. The guide distinguishes presidential designation authority from current public-health determinations and statutory safeguards.

Administration position: The order’s policy rationale is described in its text and administration records. Implementation and legal observations below are based on the cited official sources.
SignedApril 4, 2003
IssuerPresident George W. Bush
Lead agencies or officialsDepartment of Health and Human Services, CDC and the Secretary of Homeland Security
Express timingImmediate; disease-specific measures require agency findings and procedures

Before and after

Before the order

The list in EO 12452 no longer reflected emerging infectious-disease risks and statutory changes.

After the order

CDC used the list as the legal baseline for federal quarantine rules, later amended for severe acute respiratory syndromes and COVID-19-related authorities.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
Department of Health and Human Services, CDC and the Secretary of Homeland SecurityRevised the list of diseases for which federal quarantine and isolation authority may be used under the Public Health Service Act.Immediate; disease-specific measures require agency findings and procedures

What happened next

EO 13295 signed.

April 1, 2005 — EO 13375 amended the list. July 31, 2014 — EO 13674 added severe acute respiratory syndromes. COVID-19 measures used the amended framework.