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Statement by the President in Response to a Report of the Vice President's Task Force on Summer Domestic Programs.

April 11, 1966

IT IS MY HOPE that the Vice President, with the cooperation of relevant departments and agencies, will continue to develop practical, imaginative programs for our young people. Special intensive efforts must be made on their behalf as the young are our greatest natural resources.

These programs should take into consideration the particular problems facing young people during summer school recess. Jobs and recreation needs intensify; working mothers now have small children at home who need constant attention; and it is essential that more community facilities be made available throughout the day and into the early evening. It is my hope that under the direction of the Vice President specific answers will be found to the problems faced by our youth today, particularly those living in deprived areas.

Note: The President's statement was made public as part of a White House release summarizing a report to the President from the task force on summer domestic programs, established by the President's memorandum of March 2, 1966 (see Item 105).

The release stated that the task force had considered a broad range of problems which arise during the summer months, but recognized that such problems are related to basic concerns present throughout the year. It noted that the Vice President placed special emphasis on the importance of relating activities undertaken in the coming summer to the country's long-range involvement and concern for the fundamental problems of education and training, employment, health and welfare, community relations, recreation, and housing. The release continued as follows:

"The task force determined that a large number of skilled and unskilled persons, particularly young people, will be seeking employment this summer. Despite the decline in unemployment that has taken place over the past year, almost 1.8 million American boys and girls--16 to 21 years old--will be looking for work and will not be able to find it unless steps are taken to assist them.

"More than 2.7 million children under the age of 14 who should participate in some form of day care or supervised recreation program during the summer months will not have access to such programs unless additional resources are made available by Federal, State, and local governments and the private sector.

"The task force reported to the President that an encouraging number of activities are now planned or are already under way to meet these special summer needs.

"In particular, the task force recommended to the President that the youth opportunity campaign, which last year produced more than 1 million additional summer jobs from the private and public sectors, be repeated this year. The task force noted that preliminary planning for a youth opportunity campaign is already under way.

"The task force noted the importance of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and tide II of the Economic Opportunity Act in helping meet the needs of youth below working age. Approximately 5 million young Americans below age 14 will be involved in special summer programs, including a variety of special summer educational projects funded under tide I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and Project Head Start, funded under the Economic Opportunity Act.

"The task force recommended that special concern be given to meeting the employment, recreation, education, and related needs of young people residing in deprived areas. The task force emphasized that the vigorous cooperation of State and local governments is essential to this enterprise. Without their cooperation, in partnership with private organizations and private business leaders, Federal efforts will fall far short of meeting the summer as well as the year-round needs of our youth." See also Items 172, 385.
The statement was released at San Antonio, Texas.

Lyndon B. Johnson, Statement by the President in Response to a Report of the Vice President's Task Force on Summer Domestic Programs. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/239382

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