Economy, finance and labor

Executive Order 12835: Establishment of the National Economic Council

President: Bill Clinton

Established the National Economic Council in the Executive Office of the President to coordinate economic policy, advise the President and monitor implementation.

Status: In effect as amended.

Is Executive Order 12835 still in effect? Yes. Continuing framework; amended by later orders.

What does Executive Order 12835 do?

EO 12835 established the National Economic Council in the Executive Office of the President to coordinate domestic and international economic policy and advise the President. EO 13499 amended its membership in 2009. A 2026 Government Accountability Office report describes the council as a continuing mechanism for economic policy coordination; that report does not measure the effects of this 1993 order.

Administration position: The order treated coordination as necessary for a coherent economic program. That is an organizational policy judgment, not a guarantee of economic results.
SignedJanuary 25, 1993
LocationExecutive Office of the President
Legal authority cited3 U.S.C. §§ 105, 107 and 301

Before and after

Before the order

Economic advice and implementation work were distributed among departments, agencies and existing White House offices.

After the order

The National Economic Council became a formal presidential coordinating body with defined policy, advice and monitoring functions.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
National Economic CouncilCoordinate economic policy and adviceOngoing
Council membersProvide departmental perspectivesAs convened
Assistant to the President for Economic PolicyManage council processes and monitor implementationOngoing

What happened next

EO 12835 established the council.

EO 13499 further amended its membership provisions.

GAO described the council’s continuing coordination role in a government performance report.

Official organization and amendment records rechecked.