[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 38 (Monday, September 22, 1997)]
[Pages 1363-1364]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message to the Congress Transmitting a Report on Federal Advisory 
Committees

September 17, 1997

To the Congress of the United States:

    As provided by the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended 
(Public Law 92-463; 5 U.S.C., App. 2, 6(c)), I am submitting the Twenty-
Fifth Annual Report on Federal Advisory Committees, covering fiscal year 
1996.
    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, the number of 
discretionary advisory committees (established under general 
congressional authorizations) was held to 501, or 37 percent fewer than 
those 801 committees in existence at the beginning of my Administration. 
Savings achieved through elimination of discretionary committees during 
fiscal year 1996 totalled $2.5 million.
    Through the advisory committee planning process required by 
Executive Order 12838, departments and agencies have worked to minimize 
the total number of advisory committees specifically mandated by 
statute. The 407 such groups supported at the end of fiscal year 1996 
represents a modest 7 percent decrease over the 439 in existence at the 
beginning of my Administration. However, more can be done to assure that 
the total costs to fund these groups in fiscal year 1997, or $38.5 
million, are dedicated to support high-priority public involvement 
efforts.

[[Page 1364]]

    During fiscal year 1996, the General Services Administration (GSA) 
initiated a process for collaborating with executive departments and 
agencies to increase public participation opportunities at all levels of 
American society. Building upon my Administration's commitment to expand 
access to Federal decisionmakers, managers at all levels will be 
provided with more timely guidance that includes enhanced options for 
achieving objectives, better training, and exposure to a variety of 
tools and techniques, which when used in conjunction with advisory 
committees, offer additional flexibility to address a wide variety of 
public participation needs.
    Actions to broaden the scope and effectiveness of public 
participation within the Federal sector will continue during fiscal year 
1997. During the year, GSA will develop newly updated guidance 
implementing FACA. At the same time, GSA will continue to support and 
work closely with such agencies as the Council on Environmental Quality 
and the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior to align its efforts 
with key Administration policies relating to ecosystem and land 
management priorities.
    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 committees are instrumental in achieving national interests.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
September 17, 1997.