Message to the Congress Transmitting Reorganization Plan 1 of 1971 To Establish ACTION.

To the Congress of the United States:

America is a nation unique in the political history of the world. More than any other nation, it is the sum of the energies and efforts of all of its people. The American tradition of voluntary involvement--of freely committing one's time and talents in the search for civic improvement and social progress--gives an extra dimension to the meaning of democracy. In the past decade, the Federal Government has built on this tradition by developing channels for joining the spirit of voluntary citizen service in America with public needs, both domestically and abroad. Many of these efforts have had marked success. But the circumstances in which these efforts were conceived have changed.

National and international needs have altered. The opportunities for voluntary service must be adapted and improved to meet these new needs.

Recognizing that private channels of voluntary action are a vital source of strength in our national life, I have supported the establishment and development of the National Center for Voluntary Action. The National Center is a private, non-profit partner in the effort to generate and encourage volunteer service. The Center works to promote the establishment of local Voluntary Action Centers, as well as to assist in the expansion of voluntary action organizations already in existence. It stimulates voluntary action by providing information on successful voluntary efforts, and it assists in directing those who wish to volunteer services to areas and endeavors in which their services are needed. The National Center for Voluntary Action is functioning now to fill a vital need in the private voluntary sector. Now we must turn our attention to bringing government volunteer programs into line with new national priorities and new opportunities for meeting those priorities. We must take full advantage of the lessons of the past decade, and we must build on the experience of that period if we are to realize the full potential of voluntary citizen service. This is no longer a matter of choice. We cannot afford to misuse or ignore the considerable talents and energies of our people. In the coming years, the continued progress of our society is going to depend increasingly upon the willingness of more Americans to participate in voluntary service and upon our ability to channel their service effectively.

One matter of consequence to the problems of properly channeling volunteer services and expanding government's role in the development of volunteer resources is the proliferation of government volunteer programs. It was perhaps inevitable that these programs would be generated almost at random across the spectrum of government concern for human needs. This occurred in a period when the Federal Government was still attempting to define its relationship with, and its purposes in, the area of voluntary service. Now the role of government has been confirmed and its responsibilities and obligations are clear. Meeting these responsibilities and obligations will be a long, difficult, and challenging adventure. But it is an adventure we can look to with excitement and with the knowledge that the only sure source of failure can be a failure of the will of the American people. I do not believe it will fail.

The foundation for a greatly expanded government contribution to volunteer service already exists. Now we must consolidate that foundation in order to build on it. To accomplish this, I propose a reorganization of the present volunteer service system. Accordingly, I herewith transmit to the Congress Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1971, prepared in accordance with chapter 9 of title 5 of the United States Code. Reorganization would bring together within a single agency a number of voluntary action programs presently scattered throughout the executive branch of the Federal Government. The new agency would be called Action.

COMPOSITION

Under the reorganization plan Action would administer the functions of the following programs:

--Volunteers in Service to America: VISTA volunteers work in domestic poverty areas to help the poor break the poverty cycle.

--Auxiliary and Special Volunteer Programs in the Office of Economic Opportunity: At present the National Student Volunteer Program is administered under this authority. This program stimulates student voluntary action programs which deal

with the problems of the poor.

--Foster Grandparents: This program provides opportunities for the elderly poor to assist needy children.

--Retired Senior Volunteer Program:

--RSVP provides opportunities for retired persons to perform voluntary services in their communities.

--Service Corps of Retired Executives:

--SCORE provides opportunities for retired businessmen to assist in the development of small businesses.

--Active Corps of Executives: ACE provides opportunities for working businessmen to assist in the development of small businesses.

After investigation I have found and hereby declare that each reorganization included in the accompanying reorganization plan is necessary to accomplish one or more of the purposes set forth in section 901 (a) of title 5 of the United States Code. In particular, the plan is responsive to section 901(a)(1), "to promote the better execution of the laws, the more effective management of the executive branch and of its agencies and functions, and the expeditious administration of the public business;" and section 901 (a) (3), "to increase the efficiency of the operations of the Government to the fullest extent practicable."

The reorganizations provided for in the plan make necessary the appointment and compensation of new officers as specified in section 1 of the plan. The rates of compensation fixed for these officers would be comparable to those fixed for officers in the executive branch who have similar responsibilities.

The reorganization plan should result in more efficient operation of the Government. It is not practical, however, to itemize or aggregate the exact expenditure reductions which would result from this action.

Upon the establishment of Action, I would delegate to it the principal authority for the Peace Corps now vested in me as President and delegated to the Secretary of State. In addition, the function of the Office of Voluntary Action, now operating in the Department of Housing and Urban Development, would be transferred to the new agency by executive action.

Finally, I will submit legislation which would include the transfer of the functions of the Teacher Corps from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to the new agency. This legislation would expand authority to develop new uses of volunteer talents, it would provide a citizens' advisory board to work with the director of the new agency, and it would provide authority to match private contributions.

GOALS

Although reorganization is only a step, it is the essential first step toward the goal of a system of volunteer service which uses to the fullest advantages the power of all the American people to serve the purposes of the American nation.

In pursuing this goal, the new agency would, first, expand the testing and development of innovations in voluntary actions. Health services, housing, the environment, educational development, manpower, and community planning are just a few of the areas in which we would act to accomplish more through voluntary service, and I intend to ask for additional funds and additional authority for Action to explore new approaches to these and other problems.

In the future, we are going to have to find new ways for more people to fulfill themselves and to lead satisfying and productive lives. The problems are of concern even now, but they must be put in perspective quickly because they will soon be upon us. I believe at least some of the answers will be found in volunteer service. Action would work to find those answers and apply them.

Second, there are many Americans who want to contribute to our national life through voluntary citizen service, but who cannot serve full time. Their contributions must not be wasted. Volunteers in full-time service would work with part-time volunteers and the new agency would develop and provide opportunities for more people to give part-time service.

Third, Action would bring together in one place programs which appeal predominantly to younger Americans with those that appeal to older Americans, and would work to bring the energy, the innovative spirit, the experience, and the skills of each to bear on specific problems. The generations in America share America's problems--they must share in the search for solutions so that we all may share in the benefits of our solutions.

Fourth, Action would develop programs for combining foreign service with domestic service to accommodate volunteers interested in such an opportunity. I believe that young people in particular would be interested in the chance for this experience and would greatly benefit from it. I know there would be great value, for example, in permitting those who have served the needs of the poor abroad to turn their skills and experience to helping the poor at home, and vice versa. In addition, if volunteers are to reap the full benefit of serving, and if they are to be able to provide others the full benefit of their service, then we must open the doors to a fuller exchange of ideas and experiences between overseas and domestic volunteer efforts. These exchanges would considerably enhance the value of the experience gained in these endeavors by broadening the areas in which that experience is applied.

Fifth, at the present time valuable professional skills offered in voluntary service are too frequently limited by narrow categorical programs when their broader application is urgently needed. For example, the contributions of businessmen made through SCORE and ACE are provided only through the Small Business Administration. We know that the skills of business can be used in many areas where they are not used presently. Action would open new channels for service and would permit a more extensive utilization of business and other vocational and professional abilities.

Finally, by centralizing administrative functions of the volunteer services, the new agency would provide a more effective system of recruitment, training, and placement of full-time volunteers than the present circumstances permit. It would provide a single source of information and assistance for those who seek to volunteer full-time service. And it would permit more effective management of services than is currently possible in the administration of volunteer programs, as well as the more efficient use of resources.

PRINCIPLES

In restructuring our system of volunteer services, we can accomplish the goals which I have set forth. But we must do more than this. We must restructure our thinking about volunteer services. We must determine how to use our volunteer resources to accomplish more than they accomplish now. We need an increased effort to stimulate broader volunteer service, to involve more volunteers, and to involve them not simply as foot soldiers in massive enterprises directed from the top, but in those often small and local efforts that show immediate results, that give immediate satisfaction-those efforts that return to citizens a sense of having a hand in the business of building America. Part of our rethinking of this matter must look to the past so that we may properly meet the needs of the present and prepare for the possibilities of the future.

Volunteer service in poverty areas is a case in point. We already have considerable experience in dealing with the problems of poverty through the use of volunteers. Now we must build upon this experience and find new ways to use more effectively the volunteers presently serving in poverty areas, as well as in all other areas, and to stimulate new programs so that additional numbers of volunteers can assist in the solution of community and national problems.

In line with this effort to build on what we have learned, Action would function with particular concern for these basic principles:

--It would encourage local initiative, and would support local programs to solve local problems.

--Where appropriate, the new agency would assign volunteers to assist, and work under the technical supervision of other Federal agencies, State and local agencies or organizations, and private sponsors.

--The services of local part-time volunteers would be sought and supported in the effort to accomplish specific jobs. They would be assisted, when necessary, by full-time volunteers.

--Universities and colleges, State, city and private organizations must be engaged in the effort to broaden opportunities for volunteer service and under the new agency they would be assisted in these efforts.

--Finally, to meet the increasing need for skilled volunteers Action would give increased emphasis to recruiting and applying the skills of trained craftsmen and professional workers.

FUNDING

To insure that the new agency has the financial resources to begin working toward the goals I have outlined, I will seek for this agency an additional $20 million above the budget requests I have already submitted for the component agencies. These funds would be directed primarily to finding new ways to use volunteer services.

CONCLUSION

The early nineteenth century observer of America, Alexis de Tocqueville, was intrigued by the propensity of Americans to join together in promoting common purposes. "As soon as several of the inhabitants of the United States have taken up an opinion or a feeling which they wish to promote in the world, they look out for mutual assistance, and as soon as they have found one another out, they combine. From that moment they are no longer isolated men, but a power seen from afar .... "

Though we have seen the success of Government volunteer efforts in the past ten years, I believe voluntary citizen service is still little more than a power seen from afar. In relation to its potential, this power is virtually undeveloped. We must develop it.

There are those today, as there always will be, who find infinite fault with life in this Nation and who conveniently forget that they share responsibility for the quality of life we lead. But our needs are too great for this attitude to be accepted. America belongs to all of its people. We are all responsible for the direction this Nation will take in the century ahead, for the quality of life we will lead and our children will lead. We are all responsible, whether we choose to be or not, for the survival and the success of the American experience and the American dream.

So there is little room for the luxury of making complaints without making commitments.

America must enlist the ideals, the energy, the experience, and the skills of its people on a larger scale than it ever has in the past. We must insure that these efforts be used to maximum advantage. We must insure that the desire to serve be linked with the opportunity to serve. We must match the vision of youth with the wisdom of experience. We must apply the understanding gained from foreign service to domestic needs, and we must extend what we learn in domestic service to other nations. And in all these endeavors, I believe, we can bring the power seen from afar to focus clearly on the problems and the promise of our time.

RICHARD NIXON

The White House

March 24, 1971