Government operations and workforce

Executive Order 12861: Elimination of One-Half of Executive Branch Internal Regulations

President: Bill Clinton

Directed agencies to eliminate at least half of civilian internal management regulations not required by law within three years; the deadline passed in 1996.

Status: Completed/expired. Is Executive Order 12861 still in effect? No. Executive Order 12861 is completed or expired. See Federal Register record.

What does Executive Order 12861 do?

EO 12861 directed agencies to eliminate at least half of civilian internal management regulations not required by law within three years, with OMB instructions and possible exemptions. An HHS inspector-general study in April 1996 tested a method for identifying burdensome internal controls and found that legal mandates, layered approvals and uncertainty about the reasons for controls complicated reductions. The study did not establish that the government-wide 50 percent target was met.

Administration position: The order said reducing internal rules would streamline operations, increase productivity and improve customer service. Those were the administration’s expected management effects.
SignedSeptember 11, 1993
Reduction objectiveAt least 50 percent of eligible internal management regulations
Lead officeOffice of Management and Budget

Before and after

Before the order

Agencies maintained internal directives on organization, management and personnel under existing authorities.

After the order

Agencies reviewed eligible directives for elimination under OMB instructions and legal or essential-service exemptions.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
Executive departments and agenciesEliminate at least half of eligible internal regulationsWithin three years
OMB DirectorIssue instructions and necessary exemptionsDuring implementation
Independent regulatory bodiesConsider voluntary complianceRequested by the order

What happened next

EO 12861 signed.

The three-year reduction deadline ended.