Government operations and workforce

Executive Order 13589: Promoting Efficient Spending

President: Barack Obama

Directed agencies to curb travel, conferences, printing, vehicles and other administrative spending.

Status: In effect. Is Executive Order 13589 still in effect? Yes. Executive Order 13589 remains an unrevoked spending-control directive. Its fiscal 2013 savings target is historical, but the order also sets ongoing travel, printing and technology controls. HHS still identifies it as a travel-management authority, and DOE’s August 5, 2026 official-travel directive cites it; the expired target did not revoke those continuing provisions. Sources: Current Federal Register executive order disposition table: 2011; Executive Order 13589: signed Federal Register text; HHS Travel and Transportation: continuing implementation of Executive Order 13589; DOE O 550.1A Official Travel, August 5, 2026.

What does Executive Order 13589 do?

EO 13589 launched a government-wide efficiency drive during the fiscal retrenchment that followed the 2008 financial crisis. Agencies had to cut specified administrative costs by at least 20 percent from fiscal 2010 levels by fiscal 2013 and tighten controls over travel, conferences, property and technology. The numerical target and reporting cycle are historical; current agencies operate under later appropriations, OMB guidance and management priorities.

Administration position: The order set internal management targets; it did not cancel statutory programs, amend appropriations or authorize agencies to ignore procurement and personnel law.
SignedNovember 9, 2011
LeadOffice of Management and Budget
Savings targetAt least 20 percent in covered administrative costs
Target yearFiscal year 2013

Before and after

Before the order

Administrative spending controls existed across separate budget, travel, property and acquisition rules.

After the order

Agencies adopted coordinated savings plans and public reporting focused on five major categories.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
AgenciesReduce covered administrative costs and report progressCompleted
OMBMonitor plans and issue implementation guidanceHistorical
Agency headsMaintain controls under current budget rulesContinuing under later authorities

What happened next

EO 13589 issued.

DOE’s official-travel directive 550.1A cited Executive Order 13589 as an applicable authority, documenting continued use after the original fiscal 2013 savings deadline. Official source.