02-14-2025

Eliminating the Federal Executive Institute

Executive OrderView the Original .pdf
View the Original .pdf

The 1-Minute Brief

What: Executive Order 14207, issued on February 10, 2025, directs the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to eliminate the Federal Executive Institute (FEI). The order revokes the presidential documents that established and maintained the FEI, a residential training center for senior federal government leaders.

Money: The Federal Executive Institute operates on a fee-for-service basis, meaning it is funded by payments from federal agencies that send their employees for training, not by direct congressional appropriation. The Executive Order asserts the policy is to "treat taxpayer dollars responsibly," but no specific cost savings have been officially estimated.

Your Impact: The direct effect on an average American is indirect, relating to the training and development of the federal government's senior leadership. The order's stated goal is to refocus government on serving taxpayers rather than an entrenched bureaucracy. Opponents argue its closure will harm the effectiveness of government management by eliminating a key resource for leadership development and inter-agency collaboration.

Status: Issued. The Executive Order was signed by the President on February 10, 2025, and directs the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to take all necessary steps to carry out the elimination.

What's Actually in the Executive Order

This executive order mandates the complete shutdown of the Federal Executive Institute (FEI). The FEI has served as the federal government's primary residential center for executive education since its founding in 1968. The order accomplishes this by directing the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which oversees the institute, to manage its dissolution and by formally canceling the legal authorities that created it.

Core Provisions:

  • The Director of the Office of Personnel Management is ordered to take all necessary steps to eliminate the Federal Executive Institute in accordance with the law. [Sec. 2(a)]
  • All previous executive orders and presidential memoranda that established or required the existence of the FEI are hereby revoked. [Sec. 2(b)] This specifically includes the Presidential Memorandum of May 9, 1968, and relevant sections of Executive Order 11348 from April 20, 1967. [Sec. 2(b)]

Stated Purpose (from the Administration):

The order states it is the policy of the administration to eliminate government programs that do not directly benefit the American people.

  1. The stated rationale is that leadership at the FEI has "led to Federal policies that enlarge and entrench the Washington, D.C., managerial class," a development the order claims has "not benefited the American family."
  2. The order aims to "refocus Government on serving taxpayers, competence, and dedication to our Constitution, rather than serving the Federal bureaucracy."

Key Facts:

Affected Sectors: Federal Government Administration, Public Sector Workforce.
Timeline: The order was signed on February 10, 2025, and published in the Federal Register on February 14, 2025. It directs immediate action but sets no final deadline for the complete dissolution.
Scope: The order directly impacts all senior-level federal employees (particularly those in the Senior Executive Service) who would attend FEI for leadership development, as well as the institute's federal employees and contractors.

The Backstory: How We Got Here

Timeline of Events:

Post-War Government Expansion (1950s-1960s):

Following the massive growth of the federal civilian workforce during the New Deal and World War II, a need was identified for standardized, high-level training for senior government managers. This led to the passage of the Government Employees Training Act in 1958, which authorized the establishment of executive training centers funded by their own revenues rather than direct appropriations.

The Founding of FEI (1968):

The Federal Executive Institute was established in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1968 by the Johnson administration to serve as a "senior staff college" for the highest ranks of the civil service. Its creation was a response to a volatile period in American history, with the goal of equipping federal leaders with the capacity to manage a large government enterprise and respond to national crises. The institute's flagship program, "Leadership for a Democratic Society," was designed as an intensive, multi-week residential course focusing on constitutional principles, personal leadership, and inter-agency problem-solving. Over its history, more than 30,000 federal executives have graduated from its programs.

Why Now? The Political Calculus:

  • The elimination of the FEI aligns with a stated policy of dismantling government structures perceived as part of an entrenched "managerial class."
  • This action is presented as a measure to increase government accountability to taxpayers and reduce wasteful spending, framing the institute as an unnecessary program that benefits bureaucrats rather than the public.
  • The timing appears to be part of a broader, more aggressive effort to reform the federal bureaucracy and civil service, rather than a response to a specific recent event.

Your Real-World Impact

The Direct Answer: This directly affects senior federal government employees and the agencies they run, with potential downstream effects on the quality and efficiency of government services for all Americans.

What Could Change for You:

Potential Benefits:

  • Taxpayer Savings: Proponents argue that eliminating a federal training program, even one paid for by agencies, ultimately reduces the overall cost of government.
  • Bureaucratic Reform: If the administration's premise is correct, eliminating the institute could contribute to a federal leadership corps that is less insular and more responsive to public needs.

Possible Disruptions or Costs:

Short-term (First 1-2 years):

  • Loss of Jobs: The closure will result in the loss of jobs for federal employees and contractors at the FEI campus in Charlottesville, Virginia.
  • Disruption to Leadership Pipeline: Agencies that rely on the FEI for mandatory or supplemental executive training will need to find alternative, potentially more expensive or less comprehensive, training options.

Long-term:

  • Decline in Managerial Skill: Opponents fear that without a centralized, high-quality training institute, the leadership and management skills of senior federal executives could decline, leading to less effective government operations.
  • Reduced Collaboration: The FEI was a rare setting where executives from different agencies (e.g., Defense, Health, Agriculture) could build professional networks, which is critical for solving complex problems that cross agency lines. The loss of this networking opportunity could hinder inter-agency cooperation.

Who's Most Affected:

Primary Groups: Senior Executive Service (SES) members and high-level federal managers (GS-15), staff and faculty of the Federal Executive Institute.
Secondary Groups: Federal agencies that have budgeted for and used FEI's services, the local economy of Charlottesville, Virginia.
Regional Impact: The Charlottesville, VA, area will experience the most direct economic and employment effects.

Bottom Line: The elimination of the Federal Executive Institute removes a long-standing institution for training government leaders; whether this leads to a more efficient government or a less effective one is the central point of debate.

Where the Parties Stand

Republican Position: "Serving Taxpayers, Not Bureaucrats"

Core Stance: The Executive Order reflects a position that the Federal Executive Institute is a non-essential program that fosters a bureaucratic class out of touch with the American public.

Their Arguments:

  • ✓ The institute is a costly and unnecessary program.
  • ✓ It serves to "enlarge and entrench the Washington, D.C., managerial class."
  • ✓ Eliminating it is a responsible use of taxpayer dollars and helps refocus the government on its core mission of serving citizens.

Legislative Strategy: As this is an Executive Order, the strategy was direct presidential action, bypassing Congress. The administration's focus is on implementing the order through the Office of Personnel Management.

Democratic Position: "Undermining Good Government"

Core Stance: The general opposition view is that the FEI is a vital institution for ensuring skilled, ethical, and effective leadership in the federal government, and its elimination is a politically motivated attack on the civil service.

Their Arguments:

  • ✓ The FEI provides high-quality, essential training that improves government performance and helps leaders tackle complex national challenges.
  • ✓ It fosters crucial inter-agency networks that are essential for national security and crisis response.
  • ✗ The claim that it entrenches a "managerial class" is a political attack on dedicated public servants.
  • ⚠️ Its fee-for-service model means agencies willingly pay for it, demonstrating its value. Closing it will likely force agencies to use more expensive, private-sector contractors.

Legislative Strategy: Opponents in Congress and outside groups are likely to voice public opposition, conduct oversight hearings on the impacts of the closure, and potentially support legislation to codify federal leadership development programs in the future.

Constitutional Check

The Verdict: ✓ Constitutional

Basis of Authority:

The Executive Order cites two specific statutes as its basis for authority: 3 U.S.C. § 301 and 5 U.S.C. § 4117.

3 U.S.C. § 301 (General authorization to delegate functions): Authorizes the President to "designate and empower the head of any department or agency in the executive branch...to perform...any function which is vested in the President by law".
5 U.S.C. § 4117 (Administration): This statute grants the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) authority over federal training programs, but explicitly states that OPM's functions "are subject to supervision and control by the President".

Constitutional Implications:

[Executive Power]: The order falls within the President's broad authority as the chief executive to direct and supervise the functioning of the executive branch. The cited statutes confirm that Congress has granted the President direct control over federal employee training programs.
[Precedent]: Presidents have historically used executive orders to create, modify, and eliminate various executive branch boards, commissions, and programs.
[Federalism]: This action pertains exclusively to the internal operations of the federal government and does not implicate powers reserved for the states.

Potential Legal Challenges:

While a legal challenge is possible, it is unlikely to succeed on the merits. The President's statutory authority under 5 U.S.C. § 4117 is explicit. Potential plaintiffs, such as federal employee unions or the FEI Alumni Association, would face a high bar in arguing that the President exceeded his authority. A lawsuit would more likely focus on procedural aspects of the shutdown, such as employee rights or the disposition of assets, rather than the authority to issue the order itself.

Your Action Options

TO SUPPORT THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER

5-Minute Actions:

  • Contact the White House: Use the White House comment line or website to express your support for Executive Order 14207 and the policy of reducing the federal bureaucracy.
  • Share Information: Share articles and social media posts that support the administration's rationale for eliminating the institute.

30-Minute Deep Dive:

  • Write a Letter to the Editor: Submit a letter to your local or national newspaper explaining why you believe this action is a positive step toward government reform and fiscal responsibility.
  • Join an Organization: Support think tanks and advocacy groups that promote smaller government and fiscal conservatism.

TO OPPOSE THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER

5-Minute Actions:

  • Call Your Rep/Senators: Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121. "I'm a constituent from [Your City/Town] and I urge [Rep./Sen. Name] to oppose Executive Order 14207 and conduct oversight on the damage that eliminating the Federal Executive Institute will do to our government's effectiveness."

30-Minute Deep Dive:

  • Contact Relevant Committees: Write a detailed email to members of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, which have jurisdiction over the federal workforce.
  • Join an Organization: Join or donate to good-government groups or organizations like the Federal Executive Institute Alumni Association (FEIAA) that are actively working to preserve institutions that support the professional civil service.