Executive Order 12966: Foreign Disaster Assistance
President: Bill Clinton
Directed the Defense Secretary to provide life-saving disaster assistance abroad under statutory safeguards and in coordination with the State Department and USAID.
Status: In effect.
Is Executive Order 12966 still in effect? Yes. Continuing delegation for Defense assistance under 10 U.S.C. § 404.
What does Executive Order 12966 do?
EO 12966 implements 10 U.S.C. § 404. It directs the Secretary of Defense to provide disaster assistance outside the United States when necessary to prevent loss of life, but only at the President’s direction, with the Secretary of State’s concurrence, or in an urgent life-saving emergency followed by consultation. Defense must consult the USAID Administrator in the Administrator’s disaster-coordination role. The statute and delegation remain part of the current legal framework.
Before and after
Before the order
Congress had newly authorized Defense disaster assistance in 10 U.S.C. § 404.
After the order
The President supplied operating direction, notification delegation and State-USAID coordination rules.
Who had to do what
| Agency / office | Action | Timing / position |
|---|---|---|
| Defense Secretary | Provide assistance necessary to prevent loss of life | When section 2 conditions are met |
| Defense Secretary | Perform statutory congressional notifications | For covered assistance |
| Defense Department | Consult the USAID Administrator | When providing covered aid |
What happened next
Congress enacted the section 404 authority.
EO 12966 implemented it.
The order took effect.
The statutory framework remained in force.
Legal and source detail
How it works legally
Section 404 authorizes certain foreign disaster assistance and requires congressional notice. The order channels that authority through presidential direction, State concurrence or narrowly defined emergency action.
Sources by type
If a source is unavailable, first check the cited publisher or another official repository. The cited publisher remains the authority.
Primary and official sources
Orders, laws, court records and official implementation material.
- GovInfo — EO 12966 (opens in a new tab) Order text
- U.S. Code — 10 U.S.C. § 404 (opens in a new tab) Official record
- USAID — humanitarian assistance (opens in a new tab) Official record
How we checked this
Last checked against the sources above on September 14, 2026. How we research →