Economy, finance and labor

Executive Order 13578: Coordinating Policies on Automotive Communities and Workers

President: Barack Obama

Moved automotive-community recovery coordination to the Labor Secretary and revoked the earlier White House council.

Status: Completed/expired. Is Executive Order 13578 still in effect? No. Executive Order 13578 is completed or expired. See Federal Register record.

What does Executive Order 13578 do?

EO 13578 replaced the temporary White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers with an executive-branch coordination role led by the Labor Secretary. The effort helped communities respond to plant closures through worker training, brownfield redevelopment and economic-adjustment assistance. The dedicated recovery office operated during the post-crisis period but does not appear in current Labor structures.

Administration position: The order coordinated existing programs and advice; it did not create an entitlement to plant rescue funds or direct automaker business decisions.
SignedJuly 6, 2011
LeadSecretary of Labor
Delegable toDirector of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

Before and after

Before the order

EO 13509 established a White House council during the acute 2009 auto crisis.

After the order

Responsibility moved to Labor and NEC coordination as the industry and communities entered longer-term recovery.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
Labor SecretaryCoordinate programs and advise the PresidentCompleted
Recovery officeConnect communities to federal resourcesCompleted
Federal agenciesProvide information and assistance under existing lawHistorical

What happened next

EO 13578 revoked EO 13509 and reassigned coordination.