[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 137 (Wednesday, September 6, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H8578-H8579]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  ANNUAL REPORT ON FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES 1994--MESSAGE FROM THE 
                     PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Chambliss) laid before the House the 
following message from the President of the United States; which was 
read and, together with the accompanying papers, without objection, 
referred to the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight:

To the Congress of the United States:
  As provided by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (Public 
Law 92-463; 5 U.S.C. App. 2, 6(c)), I am submitting my second Annual 
Report on Federal Advisory Committees covering fiscal year 1994.
  This report highlights continuing efforts by my Administration to 
reduce and manage Federal advisory committees. Since the issuance of 
Executive Order No. 12838, as one of my first acts as President, we 
have reduced the overall number of discretionary advisory committees by 
335 to achieve a net total of 466 chartered groups by the end of fiscal 
year 1994. This reflects a net reduction of 42 percent over the 801 
discretionary committees in existence at the beginning of my 
Administration--substantially exceeding the one-third target required 
by the Executive order.
  In addition, agencies have taken steps to enhance their management 
and oversight of advisory committees to ensure these committees get 
down to the public's business, complete it, and then go out of 
business. I am also pleased to report that the total aggregate cost of 
supporting advisory committees, including the 429 specifically mandated 
by the Congress, has been reduced by $10.5 million or by over 7 
percent.
  On October 5, 1994, my Administration instituted a permanent process 
for conducting an annual comprehensive review of all advisory 
committees through Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-
135, ``Management of Federal Advisory Committees.'' Under this planning 
process, agencies are required to review all advisory committees, 
terminate those no longer necessary, and plan for any future committee 
needs.
  On July 21, 1994, my Administration forwarded for your consideration 
a proposal to eliminate 31 statutory advisory committees that were no 
longer necessary. The proposal, introduced by then Chairman Glenn of 
the Senate Committee on
 Governmental Affairs as S. 2463, outlined an additional $2.4 million 
in annual savings possible through the termination of these statutory 
committees. I urge the Congress to pursue this legislation--adding to 
it if possible--and to also follow our example by instituting a review 
process for statutory advisory committees to ensure they are performing 
a necessary mission and have not outlived their usefulness. 

[[Page H 8579]]


  My Administration also supports changes to the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act to facilitate communications between Federal, State, 
local, and tribal governments. These changes are needed to support this 
Administration's efforts to expand the role of these stakeholders in 
governmental policy deliberations. We believe these actions will help 
promote better communications and consensus building in a less 
adversarial environment.
  I am also directing the Administrator of General Services to 
undertake a review of possible actions to more thoroughly involve the 
Nation's citizens in the development of Federal decisions affecting 
their lives. This review should focus on the value of citizen 
involvement as an essential element of our efforts to reinvent 
Government, as a strategic resource that must be maximized, and as an 
integral part of our democratic heritage. This effort may result in a 
legislative proposal to promote citizen participation at all levels of 
government consistent with the great challenges confronting us.
  We continue to stand ready to work with the Congress to assure the 
appropriate use of advisory committees and to achieve the purposes for 
which this law was enacted.
                                                  William J. Clinton.  
  The White House, September 6, 1995.

                          ____________________