Defense and national security

Executive Order 13434: National Security Professional Development

President: George W. Bush

Created a national security professional development system for interagency training and assignments.

Status: In effect. Is Executive Order 13434 still in effect? Yes. Executive Order 13434 remains in effect. See Federal Register record.

What does Executive Order 13434 do?

A 2010 Senate committee record says a strategy and implementation plan followed the order and the National Security Staff was directed to reinvigorate the initiative.

Administration position: Training and rotation plans did not supersede agencies' statutory personnel authorities or guarantee positions.
SignedMay 17, 2007
Original directionCreated a national security professional development system for interagency training and assignments.
Later evidenceA 2010 Senate committee record says a strategy and implementation plan followed the order and the National Security Staff was directed to reinvigorate the initiative.
Review dateSeptember 26, 2026

Before and after

Before the order

Agencies had separate career development systems for people doing national security work.

After the order

A 2010 Senate committee record says a strategy and implementation plan followed the order and the National Security Staff was directed to reinvigorate the initiative.

Training and rotation plans did not supersede agencies' statutory personnel authorities or guarantee positions.

Who had to do what

Source: Signed Federal Register text.
Agency / officeActionTiming / position
Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and CounterterrorismWith the National Security assistant, submit a strategy providing integrated education, training, and experience opportunities across organizations, governments, and incident disciplines.To the President for approval not later than 60 days after May 17, 2007.
Assistant to the President for National Security AffairsCoordinate the national professional-development strategy with the Homeland Security and Counterterrorism assistant.Strategy due within 60 days after May 17, 2007.
Security Professional Development Executive Steering CommitteeFacilitate strategy implementation; coordinate agency programs and guidance; submit the implementation plan and progress/change recommendations.Plan to both presidential assistants within 120 days after presidential strategy approval; status reports annually thereafter.
OPM DirectorChair the Committee, convene meetings, set agenda, coordinate work, and establish subcommittees. After Committee consultation, lead a merit-based professional-development program with interagency/intergovernmental assignments, fellowships, and advancement guidance; issue or apply implementing rules.No fixed deadline stated.
Heads of agencies with national security functionsEnhance existing programs/infrastructure and create needed programs consistent with the strategy and practicably with its plan/guidance; provide requested Committee support and information.No fixed deadline stated.
Secretary of DefenseIssue military professional-development rules/guidance, including assignments and fellowships; coordinate with the Committee to the maximum practicable extent.No fixed deadline stated.
Secretary of StateIssue Foreign Service professional-development rules/guidance, including exchanges and fellowships; coordinate with the Committee to the maximum practicable extent.No fixed deadline stated.
Director of National IntelligenceWith intelligence-component agency heads, issue intelligence-community development rules/guidance, including assignments and fellowships; coordinate with the Committee.No fixed deadline stated.
Heads of agencies containing intelligence-community elementsCoordinate with DNI on intelligence-community professional-development rules and guidance.No fixed deadline stated.
Secretary of Homeland SecurityDevelop education for federal, state, local, and tribal officials on disaster plans and authorities, plus crisis decision-making training.No fixed deadline stated.
Later actionA 2010 Senate committee record says a strategy and implementation plan followed the order and the National Security Staff was directed to reinvigorate the initiative.2010

What happened next

EO 13434 signed.