Official Document Text
Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)
WHEREAS the Congress has enacted the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965 (hereinafter referred to as the "Act") to provide public works and economic development programs and the planning and coordination needed to assist in the development of the Appalachian region; and WHEREAS the Congress has found that the Appalachian Region of the United States, while abundant in natural resources and rich in potential, lags behind the rest of the Nation in its economic growth, and has declared its intention to participate in the provision of the public works needed to enable the region to better support itself; and WHEREAS the proper discharge of Federal responsibilities to the people of the Appalachian region requires that related planning activities of the Federal Government be effectively coordinated: NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Act and as President of the United States, it is ordered as follows: Section 1. Establishment of Committee. (a) There is hereby established the Federal Development Committee for Appal achia (hereinafter referred to as the "Committee"). (b) The Committee shall be composed of the Federal Cochairman of the Appalachian Regional Commission established by Section 101 of the Act, who shall be the Chairman of the Committee (hereinafter referred to as the "Chairman"), and nine other members, one of whom shall be designated by and represent each of the following, respectively : the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, the Secretary of the Army, the Housing and Home Finance Administrator, the Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity, and the board of directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority. (c) The Chairman may request any Federal agency head not referred to in subsection (b) of this section to designate a representative to provide the agency liaison with the Chairman on Appalachian matters and to participate in meetings of the Committee concerned with matters of substantial interest to such agency head. Sec. 2. Functions of the Chairman. (1) The Chairman shall provide the effective and continuing liaison required by Section 104 of the Act between the Federal Government and the Appalachian Regional Commission (hereinafter referred to as the "Commission") and obtain a coordinated review by the interested Federal agencies and departments of plans and recommendations submitted by the Commission pursuant to Sections 102 and 103 of the Act. In carrying out this function, the Chairman shall inform the Federal agencies of matters to be taken under consideration by the Commission, including possible future recommendations of the Commission pursuant to Section 103 or 223 of the Act, and shall undertake to obtain a consensus within the Federal Government, either through the Committee or through consultation with appropriate agency representatives on the Committee, before he casts his vote on any matter as Federal Cochairman of the Commission. (2) He shall foster surveys and studies by any appropriate Federal agency as necessary to provide data for the preparation and operation of plans and programs for the development of Appalachia. (3) He shall receive from each appropriate Federal agency proposed plans deemed appropriate to carry out the statutory responsibilities of the agency under the Act, which plans shall be transmitted to the Commission for its information and recommendations. Sec. 3. Function of the Committee. The Committee shall: (1) advise the Chairman with respect to (A) surveys and studies needed for the preparation of development plans pursuant to the Act, (B) relevant activities underway and proposed within their agencies, and (C) desirable development objectives and programs for the Appalachian region; (2) review any proposed agency development plan prepared pursuant to the Act, before the proposed plan is transmitted to the Commission through the Federal Cochairman, with the objective of assuring optimum coordination among the plans of all Federal agencies ; and (3) receive, review, and comment to the Commission through the Chairman on all tentative development plans prepared by the Commission. Sec. 4. Responsibilities of Federal Agency Heads, The head of each Federal agency concerned with a program and projects submitted by the Commission pursuant to Section 223 of the Act is authorized, with the concurrence of the Federal Cochairman, to exercise the powers vested in the President by that section to approve or modify any such program or projects. Sec. 5. Administrative Arrangements, (a) Each Federal agency the head of which is referred to in Section 1 (b) of this order shall, as may be necessary, furnish assistance to the Committee in accordance with the provisions of Section 214 of the Act of May 3,1945 (59 Stat. 134;31U.S.C691). (b) Each Federal agency shall, consonant with law and within the limits of available funds, cooperate with the Committee and with the Chairman in carrying out their functions under this order. Such cooperation shall include, as may be appropriate, (1) furnishing relevant available information, (2) making studies and preparing reports pursuant to requests of the Chairman, (3) in connection with the development of programs and priorities of the agency, giving full consideration to any plans and recommendations for the development of Appalachia, including recommendations made by the Committee, and (4) advising on the work of the Committee as the Chairman may from time to time request. Sec. 6. Construction. Nothing in this order shall be construed as subjecting any Federal agency, or any function vested by law in, or assigned pursuant to law to, any Federal agency, to the authority of the Committee or the Chairman, or as abrogating or restricting any such function in any manner. Sec. 7. Prior Executive Orders. The Federal Development Planning Committee for Appalachia, established by Executive Order No. 11186 of October 23,, 1964, is hereby abolished and that order is hereby revoked. This section shall be effective on the date of the first meeting of the Commission. LYNDON B. JOHNSON The White House, March 25, 1965.