Memorandum of February 1, 1965 [CABINET COMMITTEE ON FEDERAL STAFF RETIREMENT SYSTEMS] Memorandum for The Secretary of State, The Secretary of Defense, The Postmaster General, The Secretary of Labor, The Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, The Director of the Bureau of the Budget, The Chairman of the Civil Service Commission The Federal Government pays an important part of the compensation of its employees in the form of benefits under staff retirement plans. Such plans are provided for civilian employees of the executive departments and agencies, and for members of the uniformed services. The patterns and amounts of these payments must be effective for their purpose. The payments must be properly related to the personal service upon which they are based, and to similar retirement benefit programs elsewhere in the economy. The retirement policies of the Federal Government, as employer, and the programs and methods by which these policies are made effective were last examined in the reports of the Committee on Retirement Policy made in 1954.. Since then numerous adjustments have been made in these Federal programs. In order to establish up-to-date guides for use in the executive branch in considering proposed changes and further improvements in retirement plans, I request that the whole structure of our retirement policies be reviewed as to objectives, coverage of both civilian and uniformed personnel, benefit patterns, financial soundness, and overall consistency. I also request that survivor benefits available under the various retirement plans be examined in relationship to similar survivor benefits provided under social security, Government life insurance, and other disability, death, and survivorship programs. Accordingly, I appoint you to serve on a temporary Cabinet Committee on Federal Staff Retirement Systems under the chairmanship of the Director of the Bureau of the Budget. The Committee is authorized to conduct such studies as it deems necessary to carry out the purposes of this memorandum. The Committee should submit its final report to me by December 1, 1965, and include in the report recommendations for any adjustments which the Committee_deems necessary to make the retirement systems fully effective and more equitable. Each member of the Committee will designate an alternate to represent him when he is unable to attend Committee meetings. Members will furnish such assistance to the Committee as may be required in conformity with the provisions of section 14 of the Act of May 3, 1945 (59 Stat. 134, 31 USC 691). Such assistance may include detailing of employees to the Committee, one of whom may be designated by the Chairman to serve as its executive secretary and staff director, to perform such functions as the Committee may assign. The Bureau of the Budget and the Civil Service Commission will provide administrative services to the Committee. The Committee may request information from the executive departments and agencies pertaining to its work, and may invite the head of any Federal agency to participate in the Committee's meetings when matters of special interest to such agency are to be considered. To the extent it deems appropriate, the Committee should consult with representatives of employee organizations and obtain advice from technical experts on retirement matters both within and outside the Federal Government. In arriving at its conclusions, the Committee should take account of the views of all who have an interest in the study and the competence to make a contribution to it. This memorandum will be published in the FEDERAL REGISTER. LYNDON B. JOHNSON Memorandum of February 16, 1965 [A SAFETY POLICY FOR THE FEDERAL SERVICE] Memorandum for the Heads THE WHITE HOUSE, Washington, February 16, 1965. of Executive Departments and Agencies The reduction of waste in manpower and materials is one of the principal managerial aims of this Administration. That the savings from such a program be applied to advance needed services is one of the keynotes of the public policy of this Administration. There is a great opportunity to make a significant reduction in that most senseless kind of waste the loss of human lives through accident—and at the same time save many millions of dollars. Secretary of Labor W. Willard Wirtz has informed me that in 1963, the latest data available, there were 190 deaths and 41,905 disabling injuries among Federal workers, at a cost to the Government of $37,600,000. In just the last seven years: • More than 1,200 Federal workers died from job injuries. • Nearly 300,000 sustained disabling injuries. Over 18.5 million man-days of potential production were lost. • Costs to the Federal Government amounted to $14 billion. Nearly all of these deaths and injuries can be prevented. I intend to see to it that the Federal Government will do everything in its power to prevent them. I have initiated today Mission_SAFETY-70-a new, practical safety effort designed to reduce Federal work injuries and costs, year by year, until a total 30 percent reduction is achieved by 1970. This will result in the saving of approximately 200 lives. It will prevent nearly 45,000 disabling work injuries. It will save the Federal Government nearly $250 million in costs. Savings such as these, once made, extend over many years. I am forwarding with this memorandum a copy of the Safety Policy for the Federal Service.1 In accordance with this Policy, I am asking you to review realistically and revise where necessary the safety program of your Department or agency and report to me within 90 days the results of your review. I am also requesting the Secretary of Labor to advise me periodically, pursuant to his responsibilities under law and Executive Order 10990, of the progress achieved. The cost of this effort in interest, energy and time is small indeed when compared to the great benefits that can be gained. I am looking forward to prompt and continued progress in reducing this needless waste of lives and materials. LYNDON B. JOHNSON 1F.R. Doc. 65–2097, infra. President's Statement of February 16, 1965 A SAFETY POLICY FOR THE FEDERAL SERVICE It is the policy of the Federal Government to so administer its programs that each employee works in safe and healthful conditions, free from accidents. Americans have always placed the highest value on human life, in accord with our concept of the worth of every individual. As the public repository of our social ideals, government has a direct obligation to express our regard for human life in every measure necessary to safeguard and protect it. As Americans also place a high value on efficiency and economy. this country's largest single employer, the Federal Government has a continuing duty to prevent needless waste. The policy of this Government, then, is both humanitarian and practical. It safeguards and conserves manpower. It reduces the cost of injuries and eliminates the waste of materials. It is a basic element in sound and prudent management. I am not unmindful of the progress achieved by many Federal agencies in the prevention of accidents. Yet, while much has been accomplished, much remains to be done. There remain wide disparities in safety performance among agencies. This disparity can be eliminated if each agency will administer its safety program in accordance with the needs to be met and the hazards that are encountered. Often the most dangerous occupations have the best safety records. Further improvement in the safety record of individual agencies as well as of the Federal Government as a whole must be attained. Accordingly, I request the heads of all departments and agencies to review carefully and critically their safety policies and programs. Constant vigilance, effective action, and sustained effort for improved performance are required. Executive and supervisory leadership must be provided. The cooperation and support of employee organizations is essential. Each Federal worker must likewise seek constantly to avoid accidents to himself and others. Our objective is the fullest protection for our civilian and military personnel on and off duty and for all who visit Federal buildings, installations, parks, forests and other facilities. To advance these goals the Federal Government will cooperate with State and local governments, management, labor, and safety organizations in developing and applying safety standards responsive to changing conditions and the pace of technological progress. Each department and agency head shall take appropriate steps to implement this directive on a continuing basis. The Secretary of Labor to the extent feasible will provide assistance through the Federal Safety Council and its field councils. He will also keep me advised of each agency's progress. The toll of injuries and the cost of accidents must be reduced again and again. LYNDON B. JOHNSON Notice of February 18, 1965 SUPPLEMENTAL NOTICE OF ARTICLES TO BE CONSIDERED FOR TRADE AGREEMENT CONCESSIONS [Tropical Agricultural or Forestry Commodities] In conformity with Section 221 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, 76 Stat. 874, 19 U.S.C. 1841 (hereinafter referred to as the Act), and as President of the United States, I hereby direct publication in the FEDERAL REGISTER of this notice of articles to be considered for trade agreement concessions under Title II of the Act. This notice supplements the Notice of Proposed Trade Agreement Negotiations and Articles to be Considered for Negotiation, published October 22, 1963 (48 CFR Part 180, 28 F.R. 11251). I. List of Articles to be Considered for Trade Agreement Concessions. (a) In addition to being considered for the trade agreement concessions specified in subparagraphs (A) and (B)(1) of paragraph II of the Notice of October 21, 1963, all articles dutiable under item numbers 202.41 and 202.43 of the Tariff Schedules of the United States except those described in subparagraph (b) of this paragraph will also be considered for reduction of duty to a rate below fifty percent of the rate existing on July 1, 1962, including the elimination of duty, pursuant to the authority vested in me by sections 201 and 213 of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1821, 1833) and subject to the further requirements of Section 213. (b) The following articles dutiable under item numbers 202.41 and 202.43 will not be considered for reduction of duty pursuant to the notice given in subparagraph (a). Item 202.41_. Item 202.43_. Boxwood (Buxus spp.), Japanese maple (Acer spp.), and Almon (Shorea almon) Ash (Fraxinus spp.) Aspen and cottonwood (populus spp.), Bagtikan (Parashorea plicata), Basswood (Tilia spp.), Beech (Fagus spp.), Birch (Betula spp.), Black or tupelo gum (Nyssa spp.), Buckeye (Aesculus spp.), Cherry (Prunus spp.), Elm (Ulmus spp.), Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp.), Hickory (Carya spp.), Lauan, red (Shorea negrosensis), Lauan, white (Pentacme contorta and P. mindanen sis), Magnolia (Magnolia spp.), Maple (Acer spp.), Mayapis (Shorea squamata), Meranti (Shorea spp.), Oak (Quercus spp.), |