Executive Order: Establishing a White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers, June 23, 2009 – “Over the last decade, the United States has experienced a decline in employment in the auto industry and among part suppliers. This decline has accelerated dramatically over the past year, with more than 400,000 jobs being lost in the industry. Unemployment in the automotive sector in towns and cities across the country has reached levels not seen in decades, with resulting increases in poverty and high home foreclosure rates. The purpose of this order is to establish a coordinated Federal response to issues that particularly impact automotive communities and workers and to ensure that Federal programs and policies address and take into account these concerns.”