Washington (CNN)The White House will release on Wednesday a presidential directive and an executive order that will allow the government to communicate and negotiate with terrorist groups holding Americans hostage, a source briefed on the matter told CNN.

This is supposed to make us feel better about it:

However, the longstanding administration policy against government concessions to hostage takers, including paying ransoms, will be reiterated and not be altered.

So the government won’t pay for hostages, but they’s serve as the middleman.

And, of course, no new policy would be complete without a new government board.

Other changes expected in Wednesday’s announcement include the formation of a “Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell,” which officials described as a full-time, inter-agency body with the goal of coordinating the U.S. government’s response to hostage-takings. It will include the appointment of a director responsible for overseeing hostage recovery strategies.