In August 2004 President George W. Bush signed the Executive Order titled "Facilitation of Cooperative Conservation" which directs Federal agencies that oversee environmental and natural resource policies and programs to promote cooperative conservation in full partnership with states, local governments, tribes and individuals. The executive order directed the Chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality to convene a White House Conference on Cooperative Conservation. The Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Defense and the Environmental Protection Agency co-hosted the event. Some of the Key Conference Outcomes includes: -Expand state, tribal, and local communities' role in cooperative conservation -Ensure cooperative approach to use of public lands -Measure and monitor results of cooperative conservation -Encourage and reward leadership, innovation and technology -Improve certainty and incentives for stakeholders -Accelerate cooperative conservation as a way of doing business

The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (also known as the 9-11 Commission), an independent, bipartisan commission created by congressional legislation and the signature of President George W. Bush in late 2002, is chartered to prepare a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, including preparedness for and the immediate response to the attacks. The Commission is also mandated to provide recommendations designed to guard against future attacks.

The mission of the Commission shall be to provide recommendations to the President on implementation of the vision outlined in the President's policy statement entitled "A Renewed Spirit of Discovery" and the President's Budget Submission for Fiscal Year 2005 (collectively, "Policy"). The Commission shall examine and make recommendations to the President regarding: a) science research agenda to be conducted on the Moon and other destinations as well as human and robotic science activities that advance our capacity to achieve the Policy; b) The exploration of technologies, demonstrations, and strategies, including the use of lunar and other in situ natural resources, that could be used for sustainable human and robotic exploration; c) Criteria that could be used to select future destinations for human exploration; d) Long-term organization options for managing implementation of space exploration activities; e) The most appropriate and effective roles for potential private sector and international participants in implementing the Policy; and f) Methods for optimizing space exploration activities to encourage the interests of America's youth in studying and pursuing careers in mathematics, science, and engineering; and g) Management of the implementation of the Policy within available resources.

Established by Executive Order 13328 and signed by President George W. Bush on February 6, 2004, the Commission was charged with assessing whether the Intelligence Community is sufficiently authorized, organized, equipped, trained, and resourced to identify and warn in a timely manner of, and to support United States Government efforts to respond to, the development and transfer of knowledge, expertise, technologies, materials, and resources associated with the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, related means of delivery, and other related threats of the 21st Century and their employment by foreign powers (including terrorists, terrorist organizations, and private networks). T he Commission examined the capabilities and challenges of the Intelligence Community to collect, process, analyze, produce, and disseminate information concerning the capabilities, intentions, and activities of such foreign powers relating to the design, development, manufacture, acquisition, possession, proliferation, transfer, testing, potential or threatened use, or use of Weapons of Mass Destruction, related means of delivery, and other related threats of the 21st Century.

The Commission on Review of Overseas Military Facility Structure of the United States is charged with implementing Public Law 108-132 Sec. 128 by conducting a thorough study of matters relating to the overseas military facility structure of the United States. See also the Commission's Amended Charter and the Original Charter.

Home of the Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce, created by Congress to produce recommendations on electronic commerce and tax policy, critical information age issues with global implications.

The Final Report of the U.S.-Canada Power System Outage Task Force provides a thorough investigation of the causes of the August 14, 2003 blackout. It also recommends actions to minimize the likelihood and scope of similar events in the future.

President George W. Bush established the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health in April 2002 as part of his commitment to eliminate inequality for Americans with disabilities. The President directed the Commission to identify policies that could be implemented by Federal, State and local governments to maximize the utility of existing resources, improve coordination of treatments and services, and promote successful community integration for adults with a serious mental illness and children with a serious emotional disturbance.

The Coalition Provisional Authority, called CPA, is the name for the temporary government of Iraq. It is composed of a coalition of more than 40 nations from around the world which represent every continent and race on earth. All of these countries are united in the purpose of achieving a free and stable Iraq which respects the rights of its citizens and is at peace with its neighbors. Once a constitution is in place and democratic elections are held, the CPA will have accomplished its mission and will go home, leaving behind it, God willing, an Iraq that is a decent place for peace-loving citizens to live and exercise the freedoms given to all men by their creator.

In December 1999 the Federal Trade Commission established the Advisory Committee on Online Access and Security. The purpose of the Advisory Committee was to provide advice and recommendations to the Commission regarding implementation of certain fair information practices by domestic commercial Web sites. In particular, the Advisory Committee addressed providing online consumers reasonable access to personal information collected from and about them and maintaining adequate security for that information. In accordance with its Charter, the Advisory Committee submitted its Final Report to the Commission on May 15, 2000, and was terminated on May 31, 2000.

On Feb. 1, 2003, Shuttle Columbia was lost during its return to Earth. Investigators have found the cause. Official Board site providing press releases, events, and other information regarding the ongoing investigation.

The National Commission to Ensure Consumer Information and Choice in the Airline Industry was created by the Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR-21), enacted in April 2000, to study the market position and general condition of retail travel agents in today's competitive markets for the sale of air travel services. The commission will examine whether the financial condition of travel agents is declining and, if so, the effect of such a decline on consumers. It also will explore whether there are impediments to information regarding the services and products offered by the airline industry, and, if so, the effects of those impediments on travel agents, Internet-based distributors and consumers.

For 155 years, the Smithsonian Institution has had as its mission "the increase and diffusion of knowledge." Given the important questions facing the scientific world today, the existing level of institutional financial and physical resources, the strengths of the Institution's people and its collections, how should the Smithsonian set priorities for scientific research in the years ahead and, in general, carry out its historic mission more effectively? 1) How should scientific research be organized to optimize the use of the Institution's human, physical and financial resources? 2) How should the performance of scientific research by individuals and research departments be evaluated? 3) How can the relationship between research and public programming be enhanced? 4) What suggestions, of any type might the Science Commission have to strengthen research at the Smithsonian? 5) What should be the qualifications of those chosen to lead key scientific research units of the Smithsonian? 6) What should be done to enhance public recognition of Smithsonian science?

The Commission's objective was to advise the President on the state of the United States Postal Service, prepare a report articulating a vision for the future of the United States Postal Service, and recommend the legislative and administrative steps necessary to enact reform needed to ensure the viability of postal services. Much has changed since the nation last revisited its mail system in 1970, most notably the rise of the Internet as a faster and more affordable communications alternative. Accordingly, the Commission final recommendations aim to tailor the Postal Service to the modern mail needs of the country and focus the institution on "best execution" in all aspects of its operations. The report concluded that a revitalized 21st century Postal Service-one that makes best use of every resource it has and takes full advantage of private-sector partnerships and new technologies-can serve as a prime example of how to enhance the quality and cost effectiveness of operations throughout the Federal government.

On June 13, 2003 the NASA Administrator appointed two vetereran astronauts to lead an external task group in an independent assessment of the agency's "Return to Flight" efforts and to help the nation return the Space Shuttle safely to flight. On August 17th, 2005, the task group completed its work with the delivery of a final report to the NASA Administrator.

President George W. Bush signed Executive Order 13230 on October 12, 2001 establishing the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans. The purpose of the seventeen member Commission is to work collectively to address the educational issues facing children of Hispanic ancestry living in this country, so that all children have the opportunity to learn, to realize the American dream and to succeed.

The mission of the Commission is to identify, analyze, and develop recommendations that highlight the importance of housing, improve the housing delivery system, and provide affordable housing for the American people, including recommending possible legislative and regulatory initiatives.

A growing number of Americans are using alternative approaches to health promotion and medical treatment. People are looking to health care providers to treat the whole person, not only illness. Because of public interest in and use of unconventional health care, the President established the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy. Executive Order 13147 authorizing the Commission was issued on March 7, 2000.

This website contains information about: (1) Current and historical rates and amounts of improper payments, (2) Why improper payments occur, and (3) What agencies are doing to reduce and recover improper payments (from "About This Site").

The purpose of the Commission is to study the nature, causes, and consequences of the United States merchandise trade and current account deficits.

This is the web site of the Office of Independent Counsel in the investigation and prosecutions involving matters relating to former Secretary of Agriculture, Alphonso Michael Espy. Donald C. Smaltz was appointed Independent Counsel by the Special Division of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia on September 9, 1994, to "investigate to the maximum extent authorized by [law]" whether Secretary Espy "committed a violation of any federal criminal law . . . relating in any way to the acceptance of gifts by him from organizations or individuals with business pending before the Department of Agriculture." He was also given jurisdiction to investigate "other allegations or evidence of violations of any federal criminal law by organizations or individuals developed during the course of the investigation of Secretary Espy and connected with or arising out of that investigation." The purpose of this web site is to give the public access to public information that defines and explains the investigation.

Home page for the National Bioethics Advisory Commission.

Amtrak Reform Council (ARC) is an independent federal commission established under the Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act of 1997 (ARAA), which gave the Council a statutory mandate: (i) to recommend to Amtrak actions that the Corporation can take to improve its operational and financial performance; (ii) to monitor Amtrak's financial performance in the light of both Amtrak's own goals for financial performance, as established in its strategic business plan, and the statutory requirement that Amtrak be free of the need for operating grants after the fifth anniversary of the enactment of the ARAA; and (iii) should the Council find that Amtrak has not achieved or will not achieve either of its financial targets, then it is to forward to the Congress recommendations for a restructured and rationalized national intercity rail passenger system.

The National Drought Policy Commission was established under the National Drought Policy Act of 1998, P.L.105-199. The Act charged the Commission with conducting a thorough study of drought and its impacts and submitting a report on its findings discussing the feasibility for creating a national drought policy. The NDPC report and accompanying materials is posted on this website and can be downloaded by the public.