For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 23, 2002
Memorandum
Memorandum for the Attorney General, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Education, the Director of National Drug Control Policy, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, the Assistant to the President and Director of the USA Freedom Corps, the Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives and the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service
Subject: White House Task Force for Disadvantaged Youth
An unacceptably large number of American youth fail each year to
develop the academic, social, and citizenship skills necessary to
succeed in our country. For example, 60 percent of fourth graders from
low-income families cannot read at grade level, more than 2.6 million
teens use illicit substances each month, and 400,000 teens commit
violent crimes each year. Many of these young people grow up in
economic and social environments that place them at a significant
disadvantage.
The Federal Government has spent billions of dollars over the last
30 years in a variety of programs to address these issues. A 1998
analysis by the General Accounting Office has pointed out that there
were 117 Federal programs administered by 15 departments aimed at
disadvantaged youth. Some of these programs have been very
successful. However, overall, the Federal Government's efforts and
programs to assist disadvantaged young people have been fragmented and
not as successful as hoped.
Consistent with my interest in improving the effectiveness of
Federal programs in general, and in programs for disadvantaged youth in
particular, in fostering ways that citizen service can bring about
important change, I hereby direct the following:
Section 1. Establishment of Task Force.
(a) There is hereby
established, within the Executive Office of the President, the "White
House Task Force for Disadvantaged Youth" ("Task Force"). The Task
Force shall consist of:
(i) the Attorney General, Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of
Labor, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development, Secretary of Education, Director of National Drug
Control Policy, Director of the Office of Management and Budget,
Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, Assistant to the
President and Director of
the USA Freedom Corps, Deputy Assistant to the President and
Director of the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, and
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Corporation for National and
Community Service (CNCS); and
(ii) such other Federal officials as the Assistant to the President
for Domestic Policy may from time to time, on my behalf, designate.
(b) The Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, or in that
Assistant's absence, the Assistant to the President and Director of the
USA Freedom Corps, shall serve as Chairman of the Task Force. The
Chairman shall convene and preside at meetings of the Task Force,
determine its agenda, direct its work and, as appropriate with
particular subject matters, establish and direct subgroups of the Task
Force that shall consist exclusively of the Task Force members.
(c) A member of the Task Force may designate, to perform the Task
Force or Task Force subgroup functions of the member, any person who is
part of the member's agency and who is an officer appointed by the
President with the advice and consent of the Senate, or a member of the
Senior Executive Service (or, in the case of the CNCS, an employee of
the CNCS designated by the CEO of the CNCS).
Sec. 2. Functions of the Task Force.
The Task Force shall
develop, and submit in accordance with section 3 through the Assistant
to the President for Domestic Policy for my approval, a comprehensive
Federal response, under existing authorities and programs, to the
problems of youth failure, with a focus on enhanced agency
accountability and effectiveness. Objectives shall include: (a)
coordinating interagency efforts to address the problems of failure
among disadvantaged youth; (b) developing a unified research plan to
identify effective practices that help disadvantaged youth; (c)
incorporating positive youth development practices that help
disadvantaged youth; and (d) analyzing and quantifying the impact of
Federal efforts aimed at disadvantaged youth. These objectives shall
be carried out consistent with my Administration's implementation of
performance-based budgeting.
Sec. 3. Reports.
In performing its functions, the Task Force
shall present to me, through the Assistant to the President for
Domestic Policy:
(a) not later than April 30, 2003, a preliminary report of their
initial overall assessment of the Federal response to failure among
disadvantaged youth under existing authorities and programs, including
a work plan that details the goals and objectives for the Task Force
and evaluates the potential for expanding successful Federal
disadvantaged youth programs through program consolidation, redirection
of resources, and elimination of ineffective programs; and
(b) not later than October 1, 2003, a final report describing the
actions of the Task Force to respond to the problem of youth failure
and submitting for my approval the comprehensive Federal response to
which section 2 refers.
Sec. 4. Termination.
The Task Force shall terminate 30 days after
the date of the submission of the final report as described in section
3(b) of this memorandum.
Sec. 5. General.
(a) Agencies and the CNCS shall assist and
provide information to the Task Force consistent with applicable law as
may be necessary to carry out the functions of the Task Force. To the
extent permitted by law, the CNCS shall provide funding and
administrative support for the Task Force.
(b) As used in this memorandum, the term "agency" means an
executive department or agency of the Federal Government.
(c) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or
otherwise affect the functions of the Director of the Office of
Management and Budget relating to budget, administrative, or
legislative proposals.
(d) This memorandum is intended only to improve the internal
management of the Federal Government and is not intended to, and does
not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or equity by a party against the United States, its
departments, agencies, instrumentalities or entities, its officers or
employees, or any other person.
GEORGE W. BUSH
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