Statement by the President on the Need for a Review of Policy-Making Positions in the Executive Branch.

IN THE PAST 18 months I have made or announced a total of 265 major appointments to top policy positions in the executive branch.

Forty-seven percent of these appointments have been made during the past 5 months.

The total includes 50 ambassadorial appointments, 30 judicial appointments, and 13 reappointments of individuals appointed in previous administrations.

The underlying standard guiding and controlling the selection of persons to fill the offices of high public trust has been--and will continue to be--competence, quality, exceptional talent, and unquestioned character. The effective functioning of our Government and the successful service of our public sector to the progress of our society clearly requires higher and more demanding standards in appointive offices. I believe we have succeeded in matching those standards through these Executive appointments.

I believe that our efforts in these directions should reach more deeply into the structure of the staffing of the executive branch. Since the major policy positions are substantially filled now, except for the normal turnover which occurs continuously, I am asking my principal personnel adviser, John Macy, to broaden the scope of his efforts and activities.

Specifically, I have requested Mr. Macy to prepare an analysis of the policy and supporting positions throughout the Government which are outside of the regular career services. This study will include a look not only at such positions, but a review of the qualifications of the incumbents.

The study will have two parts. The first part will analyze those excepted positions which either are in, or have comparable compensation to, salary levels I through V as established by the Federal Executive Salary Act of 1964.

The second and longer range part of this study will examine the other excepted positions in the departments and agencies with particular emphasis on those at the supergrade level.

It is hoped that by this first, full-scale, thoughtful review and examination of the full sweep of policy-making positions within the executive branch we may make further progress toward raising the standards of performance throughout the executive establishment to meet the program demands of modern government.

I am asking all members of the Cabinet and heads of agencies to work with Mr. Macy closely and cooperatively in this major undertaking.