Civil rights and civil liberties

Executive Order 13647: Establishing the White House Council on Native American Affairs

President: Barack Obama

Created a cabinet-level council to coordinate federal policy and strengthen government-to-government relations with Tribal Nations.

Status: In effect. Is Executive Order 13647 still in effect? Yes. Executive Order 13647 remains the unrevoked council framework. Indian Affairs continues to identify it as the authority for the White House Council on Native American Affairs and lists a meeting scheduled for October 28, 2026; a scheduled meeting is not evidence that it has already taken place. Sources: Federal Register 2013 executive order disposition table, EO 13647; Signed Executive Order 13647; Indian Affairs, White House Council on Native American Affairs; Interior Department, April 28, 2020 council re-establishment.

What does Executive Order 13647 do?

EO 13647 established the White House Council on Native American Affairs, chaired by the Interior Secretary, to coordinate agencies on economic development, health, education, land, environment and tribal consultation. The council became less active after 2017 and was reactivated in 2021. President Trump revoked several later Biden orders tied to tribal initiatives in 2025, but EO 13647 itself was not listed for revocation; the current operating posture is less clear than the underlying framework.

Administration position: The council coordinates executive agencies but cannot alter treaties, diminish tribal sovereignty or spend funds without statutory and appropriations authority.
SignedJune 26, 2013
ChairSecretary of the Interior
MembershipCabinet and senior agency heads

Before and after

Before the order

Agencies maintained tribal programs and consultation duties without a standing cabinet-level White House coordinating council.

After the order

Senior officials gained a cross-government forum for shared priorities, annual tribal engagement and agency coordination.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
Interior SecretaryChair and convene the councilDependent on current administration
Member agenciesCoordinate tribal policy and consultationContinuing under broader law
Tribal NationsEngage government-to-government with agenciesContinuing independently

What happened next

EO 13647 created the council.

The Interior Department announced re-establishment of the White House Council on Native American Affairs under Executive Order 13647. Official source.