Executive Order 10640—The President's Committee on Employment of the Physically Handicapped

By virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States, and in order to provide for the carrying out of the provisions of the Joint Resolution approved July 11, 1949, ch. 302, 63 Stat. 409, as amended, and the provisions of section 8 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act, as amended by section 2 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Amendments of 1954 (68 Stat. 659; 29 U.S.C. 38), it is ordered as follows:

SECTION 1. Composition of the Committee. (a) There is hereby continued, subject to the provisions of this order and under the name of the President's Committee on Employment of the Physically Handicapped, the now existing committee of that name (heretofore sometimes referred to as the President's Committee on National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week).

(b) The President's Committee on Employment of the Physically Handicapped (hereinafter referred to as the Committee or as the President's Committee) shall be composed of a Chairman and not more than two Vice Chairmen, who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the President, and of so many other members as may be appointed thereto from time to time by the Chairman of the President's Committee upon the advice of the Executive Committee (hereinafter provided for) from among persons (including representatives of organizations) who can contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the Committee. Members appointed by the Chairman shall be appointed for a period of three years and may be reappointed. The foregoing provisions of this subsection shall not operate to terminate the membership of any person who is a member of the Committee immediately prior to the issuance of this order. The Chairman of the President's Committee, with the approval of the Executive Committee, may at any time terminate the service of any member of the President's Committee, except any member appointed by the President.

(c) The Chairman of the President's Committee, upon the advice of the Executive Committee, may designate as, or invite to be, associate members of the President's Committee any heads of Federal departments and agencies which have responsibility for rehabilitation services or promotional activities touching the field of interest of the Committee or which are leading utilizers of physically handicapped personnel, Governors of States and territories, and representatives of such heads or Governors.

SEC. 2. Functions of the Committee. The President's Committee shall facilitate the development of maximum employment opportunities for the physically handicapped. To this end the Committee shall supply information to employers, conduct a program of public education, and enlist the aid and cooperation of Federal officials, State officials, Governor's committees, local committees, professional trade groups, and organized labor. In carrying out the functions vested in it by section 8 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act, as amended, the Committee shall work closely with the Department of Labor, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, the Veterans' Administration, State employment-security agencies, and State vocational-rehabilitation agencies. Representatives of industry, labor, and public and private agencies may be invited to attend meetings of the President's Committee.

SEC. 3. Executive Committee. (a) There is hereby established the Executive Committee of the President's Committee on Employment of the Physically Handicapped. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the Chairman of the President's Committee, who shall also be the Chairman of the Executive Committee, the Vice Chairmen of the President's Committee, and so many additional members as will provide an Executive Committee of not less than fifteen and not more than forty members. The said additional members shall be appointed annually by the Chairman of the President's Committee, from among the members of the President's Committee or otherwise. The Chairman of the President's Committee may at any time terminate the service of any member of the Executive Committee.

(b) The Executive Committee shall advise and assist the Chairman of the President's Committee in the conduct of the business of the President's Committee and, as authorized by the President's Committee or the Chairman thereof (with due regard for the responsibilities of other Federal agencies), shall study the problems of the physically handicapped in obtaining and retaining suitable employment, invite authorities in the various professional, technical, and other pertinent fields to assist in the exploration of those problems, and review and develop plans and projects for promoting the employment of the physically handicapped.

SEC. 4. Advisory Council. There is hereby established the Advisory Council on Employment of the Physically Handicapped, which shall advise the President's Committee with respect to the responsibilities of the Committee. The Council shall be composed of the Chairman of the President's Committee, who shall also be the Chairman of the Council, and of the following-named officers, or their respective alternates: the Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs, and the Chairman of the United States Civil Service Commission.

SEC. 5. Administrative and incidental matters. (a) The President's Committee, the Executive Committee, and the Advisory Council shall each meet on the call of the Chairman of the President's Committee at a time and place designated by him. In the case of the President's Committee and the Executive Committee, the Chairman shall call at least one meeting and two meetings, respectively, to be held during each calendar year.

(b) In the absence of designation by the President, the Chairman of the President's Committee may from time to time designate a Vice Chairman of the President's Committee to be one or more of the following-named in the absence of the Chairman: Acting Chairman of the President's Committee, Acting Chairman of the Executive Committee, and Acting Chairman of the Advisory Council. The Chairman of the President's Committee shall from time to time assign other duties to the Vice Chairmen thereof.

(c) The Chairman of the President's Committee shall on behalf of the President direct the Committee and its functions.

(d) The Chairman may from time to time prescribe such necessary rules, procedures, and policies relating to the President's Committee, the Executive Committee, and the Advisory Council, and their affairs, as are not inconsistent with law or with the provisions of this order.

(e) All members (including the Chairman and Vice Chairmen) of the President's Committee, the Executive Committee, and the Advisory Council shall serve without compensation. The Chairman and the Vice Chairmen of the President's Committee may receive transportation and per-diem allowances as authorized by law for persons serving without compensation.

(f) Employees of the Committee shall be appointed, subject to law, and shall be directed, by the Chairman of the Committee. To such extent as may be mutually arranged by the Chairman of the Committee and the Secretary of Labor, employees of the Committee shall be subject to the administrative rules, regulations, and procedures of the Department of Labor.

(g) The Department of Labor is requested to make available to the President's Committee necessary office space and to furnish the Committee, under such arrangements respecting financing as may be appropriate, necessary equipment, supplies, and services. The estimates of appropriations for the operations of the Committee shall be included within the framework of the appropriation structure of the Department of Labor, in such manner as the Director of the Bureau of the Budget may prescribe. The Chairman of the Committee, in cooperation with the Budget Office of the Department of Labor, shall be responsible for the preparation and justification of the estimates of appropriations for the Committee.

SEC. 6. Prior orders. To the extent that this order is inconsistent with any provision of any other order, or with any provision of any regulation or other measure or disposition, issued, made, or taken by the President or by any other officer of the executive branch of the Government, this order shall control.

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

THE WHITE HOUSE,

October 10, 1955.