[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 20211]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



FREEDOM TO MANAGE ACT OF 2001--MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED 
                                 STATES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore 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 the Committee on Rules:

To the Congress of the United States:
  I am pleased to transmit for immediate consideration and prompt 
enactment the ``Freedom to Manage Act of 2001.'' This legislative 
proposal would establish a procedure under which the Congress can act 
quickly and decisively to remove those structural barriers to efficient 
management imposed by law and identified by my Administration.
  This proposal is part of the ``Freedom to Manage'' initiative 
outlined in the ``President's Management Agenda'' issued in late 
August. The initiative includes additional legislative proposals, to be 
transmitted separately, that would give Federal agencies and managers 
the tools to more efficiently and effectively manage the Federal 
Government's programs by: (1) providing Federal managers with increased 
flexibility to manage personnel; (2) giving agencies the responsibility 
to fund the full Government share of the accruing cost of all 
retirement and retiree health care benefits for Federal employees; and 
(3) giving agencies greater flexibility in managing and disposing of 
property assets.
  In transmitting the Freedom to Manage Act, I am asking the Congress 
to join with my Administration in making a commitment to reform the 
Federal Government by eliminating obstacles to its efficient 
operations. Specifically, the Freedom to Manage Act would establish a 
process for expedited congressional consideration of Presidential 
proposals to eliminate or reduce barriers to efficient Government 
operations through the repeal or amendment of laws that create 
obstacles to efficient management or the provision of new authority to 
agencies.
  The Freedom to Manage Act would provide that if the President 
transmits to the Congress legislative proposals relating to the 
elimination or reduction of barriers to efficient Government 
operations, either through repeal or amendment of current law or the 
provision of new authority, special expedited congressional procedures 
would be used to consider these proposals. If a joint resolution is 
introduced in either House within 10 legislative days of the 
transmittal containing the President's legislative proposals, it would 
be held in committee for no more than 30 legislative days. It would 
then be brought to the floor of that House very quickly after committee 
action is completed for a vote under special procedures allowing for 
limited debate and not amendments. Finally, a bill passed in one House 
could then be brought directly to the floor of the other House for a 
vote on final passage.
  As barriers to more efficient management are removed, the Nation will 
rightly expect a higher level of performance from its Federal 
Government. Giving our Federal managers ``freedom to manage'' will 
enable the Federal Government to improve its performance and 
accountability and better serve the public. I urge the Congress to give 
the Freedom to Manage Act 2001 prompt and favorable consideration so we 
can work together in the coming months to implement needed and overdue 
reforms.
                                                      George W. Bush.  
The White House, October 17, 2001.

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