    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book I)]
    [June 23, 1997]
    [Pages 812-813]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message to the Congress Transmitting a Report on Federal Advisory
    Committees
    June 23, 1997

    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 third
    Annual Report on Federal Advisory Committees, covering fiscal year 1995.
        Consistent with my commitment to create a more responsive
    government, the executive branch continues to implement my policy of
    maintaining the number of advisory committees within the ceiling of 534
    required by Executive Order 12838 of February 10, 1993. As a result, my
    Administration held the number of discretionary advisory committees
    (established under general congressional authorizations) to 512, or 36
    percent fewer than the 801 committees in existence at the time I took
    office.
        During fiscal year 1995, executive departments and agencies expanded
    their efforts to coordinate the implementation of Federal programs with
    State, local, and tribal governments. To facilitate these important
    efforts, my Administration worked with the Congress to pass the
    ``Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995'' (Public Law 104-4), which I
    signed into law on March 22, 1995. The Act provides for an exclusion
    from the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) for interactions between
    Federal officials and their intergovernmental partners while acting in
    their official capacities. This action will directly support our joint
    efforts to strengthen accountability for program results at the local
    level.
        Through the advisory committee planning process required by
    Executive Order 12838, departments and agencies have worked to minimize
    the number of advisory committees specifically mandated by statute.
    There were 407 such groups in existence at the end of fiscal year 1995,
    representing a 7 percent decrease over the 439 at the beginning of my
    Administration. However, we can do more to assure that the total costs
    to fund these groups, $46 million, are dedicated to support high-
    priority public involvement efforts.
        My Administration will continue to work with the Congress to assure
    that all advisory committees that are required by statute are regularly
    reviewed through the congressional reauthorization process and that
    remaining groups are instrumental in achieving national interests. The
    results that can be realized by working together to achieve our mutual
    objective of a better, more accessible government will increase the
    public's confidence in the effectiveness of our democratic system.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    The White House,

    June 23, 1997.

    Note: This message was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    June 24.

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