[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 25 (Monday, June 25, 2001)]
[Pages 944-946]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Executive Order 13218--21st Century Workforce Initiative

June 20, 2001

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and 
laws of the United States of America, including the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), and in order to promote the 
study and the development of strategies to address the needs of the 21st 
century workforce, it is hereby ordered as follows:
    Section 1. Establishment of the Office of the 21st Century 
Workforce. (a) The Secretary of Labor is hereby directed to establish 
within the Department of Labor the Office of the 21st Century Workforce. 
The Office shall provide a focal point for the identification and study 
of issues relating to the workforce of the United States and the 
development of strategies for effectively addressing such issues.
    (b) The Office of the 21st Century Workforce shall gather and 
disseminate information relating to workforce issues by conducting 
summits, conferences, field hearings, meetings, and other appropriate 
forums designed to encourage the participation of organizations and 
individuals interested in such issues, including business and labor 
organizations, academicians, employers, employees, and public officials 
at the local, State, and Federal levels.
    (c) Among the issues to be addressed by the Office of the 21st 
Century Workforce shall be the identification of the ways in which the 
Department of Labor may streamline and update the information and 
services made available to the workforce by the Department; eliminate 
duplicative or overlapping rules and regulations; and eliminate 
statutory and regulatory barriers to assisting the workforce in 
successfully adapting to the challenges of the 21st century.
    Sec. 2. Establishment of the Council on the 21st Century Workforce.
    (a) Establishment and Composition of the Council.
      (i) There is hereby established the ``President's Council on the 
      21st Century Workforce'' (Council).
      (ii) The Council shall be composed of not more than 13 members who 
      shall be appointed by the President. The membership shall include 
      individuals who represent the views of business and labor 
      organizations, Federal, State, and local governments, academicians 
      and educators, and such other associations and entities as the 
      President determines are appropriate. In addition, the Secretary 
      of Labor and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management 
      shall serve as ex officio members representing the views of the 
      Federal Government. The Secretary of Labor shall be the 
      Chairperson of the Council.
    (b) Functions of the Council. The Council shall provide information 
and advice to the President through the Secretary of Labor, the Office 
of the 21st Century Workforce within the Department of Labor, and other 
appropriate Federal officials relating to issues affecting the 21st 
century workforce. These activities shall include:
      (i) assessing the effects of rapid technological changes, 
      demographic trends, globalization, changes in work processes, and 
      the need for new and enhanced skills for workers, employers, and 
      other related sectors of society;
      (ii) examining current and alternative approaches to assisting 
      workers and employers in adjusting to and benefitting from such 
      changes, including opportunities for workplace education, 
      retraining, access to assistive technologies and workplace 
      supports, and skills upgrading;
      (iii) identifying impediments to the adjustment to such changes by 
      workers and employers and recommending approaches and policies 
      that could remove those impediments;
      (iv) assisting the Office of the 21st Century Workforce in 
      reviewing programs carried out by the Department of Labor and 
      identifying changes to such programs that would stream line and 
      update their effectiveness in meeting the needs of the workforce; 
      and
      (v) analyzing such additional issues relating to the workforce and 
      making such reports as the President or the Secretary of Labor may 
      request.
    (c) Administration of the Council.

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      (i) The Council shall meet on the call of the Chairperson, at a 
      time and place designated by the Chairperson. The Chairperson may 
      form subcommittees or working groups within the Council to address 
      particular matters.
      (ii) The Council may from time to time prescribe such procedures 
      and policies relating to the activities of the Council as are not 
      inconsistent with law or with the provisions of this order.
      (iii) Each member of the Council who is not an officer or employee 
      of the Federal Government shall serve without compensation but 
      shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
      subsistence, as authorized by law for persons serving 
      intermittently in Federal service (5 U.S.C. 5701-5707).
      (iv) The Department of Labor shall make available appropriate 
      funding and administrative support to assist the Council in 
      carrying out the functions under this section, including necessary 
      office space, equipment, supplies, staff, and services. The 
      Secretary of Labor shall perform the functions of the President 
      under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.), as 
      amended, except that of reporting to the Congress, with respect to 
      the Council in accordance with the guidelines and procedures 
      established by the Administrator of General Services.
      (v) The heads of executive agencies shall, to the extent permitted 
      by law, provide the Council with such information as it may 
      require for purposes of carrying out the functions described in 
      this section.
    (d) Termination of the Council. The Council shall terminate 2 years 
from the date of this order unless extended by the President prior to 
such date.
    Sec. 3. Effect on Prior Orders.
    (a) Amendments to Executive Order 13111 of January 12, 1999. In 
order to ensure the coordination and nonduplication of advice and 
information regarding 21st century workforce issues, section 6 of 
Executive Order 13111, relating to the functions of the Advisory 
Committee on Expanding Training Opportunities, is amended to read as 
follows:
    ``Sec. 6. Functions of the Advisory Committee. The Committee shall 
provide the President, through the Secretary of Labor (who shall ensure 
the coordination of the activities of the Committee with the activities 
undertaken pursuant to sections 1 and 2 of the Executive Order on the 
21st Century Workforce Initiative), an independent assessment of:
      (1) progress made by the Federal Government in its use and 
      integration of technology in adult training programs, particularly 
      in addressing the problems of adult illiteracy;
      (2) how Federal Government programs, initiatives, and policies can 
      encourage or accelerate training technology to provide more 
      accessible, more timely, and more cost-effective training 
      opportunities for all Americans;
      (3) mechanisms for the Federal Government to widely deploy and 
      utilize technology-mediated instruction so all Americans may take 
      advantage of opportunities provided by learning technology;
      (4) the appropriate Federal Government role in research and 
      development for learning technologies and their applications in 
      order to develop high-quality training and education opportunities 
      for all Americans; and
      (5) such other issues regarding emerging technologies in 
      government training as specified by the Secretary of Labor.''
    (b) Revocation of Executive Order 13174. Executive Order 13174 of 
October 27, 2000, relating to the establishment of the Commission on 
Workers, Communities, and Economic Change in the New Economy, is 
revoked.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 June 20, 2001.

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., June 21, 
2001]

Note: This Executive order was published in the Federal Register on June 
22.

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