Government operations and workforce · Advisory committees

Executive Order 12838: Termination and Limitation of Federal Advisory Committees

President: Bill Clinton

Required agencies to terminate at least one-third of their non-statutory advisory committees and tightened review of proposed committees.

Status: Completed/expired. Is Executive Order 12838 still in effect? No. Executive Order 12838 is completed or expired. See Federal Register record.

What does Executive Order 12838 do?

EO 12838 directed each executive agency to eliminate at least one-third of advisory committees not required by statute by the end of fiscal 1993. Agencies had to report proposed terminations to OMB within 90 days, and new discretionary committees generally required OMB approval. The Federal Advisory Committee Act remained the governing statutory framework.

Administration position: The order described committee growth as inadequately reviewed and sought savings. Those were the administration’s management rationale and expectation.
SignedFebruary 10, 1993
Reduction targetAt least one-third of non-statutory advisory committees
Agency reportsWithin 90 days

Before and after

Before the order

Agencies established advisory committees under FACA and other authorities, subject to existing review.

After the order

Agencies reviewed discretionary committees for termination and faced added OMB review for new ones.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
Executive agenciesTerminate at least one-third of non-statutory committeesBy end of fiscal 1993
Agency headsSubmit proposed terminations to OMBWithin 90 days
OMB DirectorReview new discretionary committee proposalsDuring implementation

What happened next

EO 12838 signed.

Reduction deadline ended with fiscal 1993.