Executive Order 13579: Regulation and Independent Regulatory Agencies
President: Barack Obama
Asked independent regulatory agencies to follow cost-benefit retrospective-review and public-participation principles.
Status: In effect. Is Executive Order 13579 still in effect? Yes. Executive Order 13579 remains an unrevoked direction encouraging independent regulatory agencies to apply regulatory-review principles. Executive Order 14215, signed February 18, 2025, imposed broader presidential and OIRA supervision but did not revoke Executive Order 13579. The original retrospective-review planning deadline is historical; the order has no termination date. Sources: Current Federal Register executive order disposition table: 2011; Executive Order 13579: signed Federal Register text; Executive Order 14215, February 18, 2025.
What does Executive Order 13579 do?
EO 13579 extended the regulatory philosophy of EO 13563 to independent regulatory agencies, which had generally remained outside centralized OIRA review. It requested public plans for reviewing existing rules and encouraged cost-benefit analysis and flexible design. EO 14215 went further in 2025 by requiring most independent agencies to submit significant rules to OIRA and coordinate priorities with the White House.
Later evidence reviewed September 23, 2026: EO 14215 required broader OIRA review and presidential coordination. Federal Register — EO 14215. The later OIRA policy changed the review framework; agency rules still require their own statutory authority and procedures.
Before and after
Before the order
EOs 12866 and 13563 largely excluded independent regulatory agencies from centralized review requirements.
After the order
Independent agencies were directed to adopt comparable principles; the 2025 regime later imposed stronger presidential review.
Who had to do what
| Agency / office | Action | Timing / position |
|---|---|---|
| Independent agencies | Follow EO 13563 principles where lawful | Continuing as supplemented |
| Independent agencies | Publish retrospective-review plans | Historical and recurring practice |
| OIRA | Review significant independent-agency rules under EO 14215 | Current |
What happened next
EO 13579 issued.
EO 14215 required broader OIRA review and presidential coordination.
Legal and source detail
How it works legally
Agency organic statutes, the Administrative Procedure Act and constitutional separation-of-powers rules constrain presidential direction. EO 13579 creates no private right.
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.
- OMB — Circular A-4 (opens in a new tab) Official record
How we checked this
Last checked against the sources above on September 23, 2026. How we research →