Executive Order 13531: National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
President: Barack Obama
Created the bipartisan Bowles–Simpson commission to recommend ways to improve the federal government’s medium- and long-term fiscal position.
Status: In effect. Is Executive Order 13531 still in effect? Yes. Executive Order 13531 remains in effect. See Federal Register record.
What does Executive Order 13531 do?
EO 13531 formed an 18-member commission tasked with proposing changes to balance the primary budget by 2015 and improve long-run fiscal sustainability. Its final proposal received support from 11 members, short of the 14 votes required for automatic congressional consideration, and the commission then ended.
Before and after
Before the order
Deficit-reduction negotiations lacked the proposed statutory commission after Congress rejected legislation.
After the order
A presidential commission published a detailed bipartisan package that influenced later debate.
Who had to do what
| Agency / office | Action | Timing / position |
|---|---|---|
| Commission | Develop and vote on recommendations | Completed |
| Co-chairs | Lead hearings and produce the final report | Completed |
| Members of Congress | Consider legislation through normal process | No automatic action triggered |
What happened next
EO 13531 created the commission.
The co-chairs released the final report.
The plan received 11 of 18 votes.
Legal and source detail
How it works legally
Only Congress can enact the tax, spending and benefit changes proposed. The order created an advisory body and no enforceable fiscal limits.
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.
- National Archives — commission final report (opens in a new tab) Official record
How we checked this
Last checked against the sources above on September 15, 2026. How we research →