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Executive Order 14212
Establishing the President's Make America Healthy Again Commission
Signed February 13, 2025, printed at 90 FR 9833. 6 sections of substance, 1,774 words.
This order sets up a health panel. It looks at why Americans die younger than people in like nations.
Sec. 1. Purpose
American life expectancy significantly lags behind other developed countries, with pre-COVID-19 United States life expectancy averaging 78.8 years and comparable countries averaging 82.6 years. This equates to 1.25 billion fewer life years for the United States population. Six in 10 Americans have at least one chronic disease, and four in 10 have two or more chronic diseases. An estimated one in five United States adults lives with a mental illness. These realities become even more painful when contrasted with nations around the globe. Across 204 countries and territories, the United States had the highest age-standardized incidence rate of cancer in 2021, nearly double the next-highest rate. Further, from 1990-2021, the United States experienced an 88 percent increase in cancer, the largest percentage increase of any country evaluated. In 2021, asthma was more than twice as common in
American life expectancy significantly lags behind other developed countries, with pre-COVID-19 United States life expectancy averaging 78.8 years and comparable countries averaging 82.6 years. This equates to 1.25 billion fewer life years for the United States population. Six in 10 Americans have at least one chronic disease, and four in 10 have two or more chronic diseases. An estimated one in five United States adults lives with a mental illness. These realities become even more painful when contrasted with nations around the globe. Across 204 countries and territories, the United States had the highest age-standardized incidence rate of cancer in 2021, nearly double the next-highest rate. Further, from 1990-2021, the United States experienced an 88 percent increase in cancer, the largest percentage increase of any country evaluated. In 2021, asthma was more than twice as common in
This sets out the case the order makes. It says people here live shorter lives than in peer countries. It puts the gap at nearly four years. It says six in ten adults have a long term illness. It says one in five lives with mental illness. It says cancer rates here are the highest measured.
Sec. 2. Policy
It shall be the policy of the Federal Government to aggressively combat the critical health challenges facing our citizens, including the rising rates of mental health disorders, obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. To do so, executive departments and agencies (agencies) that address health or healthcare must focus on reversing chronic disease. Under this policy: (a) all federally funded health research should empower Americans through transparency and open-source data, and should avoid or eliminate conflicts of interest that skew outcomes and perpetuate distrust; (b) the National Institutes of Health and other health-related research funded by the Federal Government should prioritize gold-standard research on the root causes of why Americans are getting sick; (c) agencies shall work with farmers to ensure that United States food is the healthiest, most abundant, and most
It shall be the policy of the Federal Government to aggressively combat the critical health challenges facing our citizens, including the rising rates of mental health disorders, obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. To do so, executive departments and agencies (agencies) that address health or healthcare must focus on reversing chronic disease. Under this policy: (a) all federally funded health research should empower Americans through transparency and open-source data, and should avoid or eliminate conflicts of interest that skew outcomes and perpetuate distrust; (b) the National Institutes of Health and other health-related research funded by the Federal Government should prioritize gold-standard research on the root causes of why Americans are getting sick; (c) agencies shall work with farmers to ensure that United States food is the healthiest, most abundant, and most
This states the policy. Agencies must work to reverse long term illness. Research they fund must be open and free of conflicts. It must look for the root causes of illness. Agencies must work with farmers on food quality. Mental health, obesity and diabetes are named.
Sec. 3.
Establishment and Composition of the President's Make America Healthy Again Commission. (a) There is hereby established the President's Make America Healthy Again Commission (Commission), chaired by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Chair), with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy serving as Executive Director (Executive Director). (b) In addition to the Chair and the Executive Director, the Commission shall include the following officials, or their designees: (i) the Secretary of Agriculture; (ii) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; (iii) the Secretary of Education; (iv) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; (v) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; (vi) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget; (vii) the Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy; (viii) the Director of the National Economic Council;
Establishment and Composition of the President's Make America Healthy Again Commission. (a) There is hereby established the President's Make America Healthy Again Commission (Commission), chaired by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Chair), with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy serving as Executive Director (Executive Director). (b) In addition to the Chair and the Executive Director, the Commission shall include the following officials, or their designees: (i) the Secretary of Agriculture; (ii) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; (iii) the Secretary of Education; (iv) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; (v) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; (vi) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget; (vii) the Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy; (viii) the Director of the National Economic Council;
This sets up a health commission. The health secretary chairs it. A White House aide runs it day to day. Many other agency heads sit on it. Agriculture, Housing and Education are among them. So are Veterans Affairs and the EPA. The budget office joins them.
Sec. 4. Fighting Childhood Chronic Disease
The initial mission of the Commission shall be to advise and assist the President on how best to exercise his authority to address the childhood chronic disease crisis. Therefore, the Commission shall: (a) study the scope of the childhood chronic disease crisis and any potential contributing causes, including the American diet, absorption of toxic material, medical treatments, lifestyle, environmental factors, Government policies, food production techniques, electromagnetic radiation, and corporate influence or cronyism; [[Page 9835]] (b) advise and assist the President on informing the American people regarding the childhood chronic disease crisis, using transparent and clear facts; and (c) provide to the President Government-wide recommendations on policy and strategy related to addressing the identified contributing causes of and ending the childhood chronic disease crisis.
The initial mission of the Commission shall be to advise and assist the President on how best to exercise his authority to address the childhood chronic disease crisis. Therefore, the Commission shall: (a) study the scope of the childhood chronic disease crisis and any potential contributing causes, including the American diet, absorption of toxic material, medical treatments, lifestyle, environmental factors, Government policies, food production techniques, electromagnetic radiation, and corporate influence or cronyism; [[Page 9835]] (b) advise and assist the President on informing the American people regarding the childhood chronic disease crisis, using transparent and clear facts; and (c) provide to the President Government-wide recommendations on policy and strategy related to addressing the identified contributing causes of and ending the childhood chronic disease crisis.
This sets the first task. The group must study long term illness in children. It must look for the causes. Diet, chemicals and medical care are named. So are lifestyle and government policy. It must help explain the problem to the public. It must then advise on what to do.
Sec. 5.
Initial Assessment and Strategy from the Make America Healthy Again Commission. (a) Make our Children Healthy Again Assessment. Within 100 days of the date of this order, the Commission shall submit to the President, through the Chair and the Executive Director, the Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment, which shall: (i) identify and describe childhood chronic disease in America compared to other countries; (ii) assess the threat that potential over-utilization of medication, certain food ingredients, certain chemicals, and certain other exposures pose to children with respect to chronic inflammation or other established mechanisms of disease, using rigorous and transparent data, including international comparisons; (iii) assess the prevalence of and threat posed by the prescription of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, stimulants, and
Initial Assessment and Strategy from the Make America Healthy Again Commission. (a) Make our Children Healthy Again Assessment. Within 100 days of the date of this order, the Commission shall submit to the President, through the Chair and the Executive Director, the Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment, which shall: (i) identify and describe childhood chronic disease in America compared to other countries; (ii) assess the threat that potential over-utilization of medication, certain food ingredients, certain chemicals, and certain other exposures pose to children with respect to chronic inflammation or other established mechanisms of disease, using rigorous and transparent data, including international comparisons; (iii) assess the prevalence of and threat posed by the prescription of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, stimulants, and
This asks for a report in 100 days. It must compare children here with those abroad. It must weigh the risk from too much medicine. Food additives and chemicals are named. It must look at drugs given for mental health. The data must be rigorous and open.
Sec. 6. Additional Reports
(a) Following the submission to the President of the Strategy, and any final strategy reports thereafter, the Chair and [[Page 9836]] the Executive Director shall recommend to the President updates to the Commission's mission, including desired reports. (b) The Commission shall not reconvene, following submission of the Strategy, until an updated mission is submitted to the President through the Executive Director.
(a) Following the submission to the President of the Strategy, and any final strategy reports thereafter, the Chair and [[Page 9836]] the Executive Director shall recommend to the President updates to the Commission's mission, including desired reports. (b) The Commission shall not reconvene, following submission of the Strategy, until an updated mission is submitted to the President through the Executive Director.
This is about later reports. The chair and the director may suggest a new task. They do so once the first strategy is filed. The group then pauses its work. It may not meet again until a new task is set. That task goes to the President through the director.
Sec. 7. General Provisions
Every order carries this. It is not what the order does.
(a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. <GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT> (Presidential Sig.) THE WHITE HOUSE, February 13, 2025. [FR Doc. 2025-02871 Filed 2-18-25; 8:45 am] Billing code 3395-F4-P </pre></body> </html>
(a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. <GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT> (Presidential Sig.) THE WHITE HOUSE, February 13, 2025. [FR Doc. 2025-02871 Filed 2-18-25; 8:45 am] Billing code 3395-F4-P </pre></body> </html>
This is the closing clause that nearly every order carries. It says the order does not change what the law already allows. It also says no one can sue to enforce it.
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