Executive Order 10847—Establishing the Committee for Rural Development Program

WHEREAS a substantial number of families, both farm and non-farm, living in rural areas have relatively low cash incomes and do not share equitably in the economic and social progress of the Nation, and it is desirable to encourage and assist such families by providing greater opportunity for their participation in the Nation's production of goods and services and in community, civic, and other affairs; and

WHEREAS the Federal Government, in cooperation with the several States and local governments and private agencies and individuals, has undertaken a rural-development program designed to develop the human resources in rural America, by a series of concerted actions to identify the needs of low-income rural people and to help them to achieve greater rewards for their contributions to our national progress; and

WHEREAS the rural-development program has achieved steady progress toward its objectives, and the time has now come to consolidate its accomplishments and to provide more formal Federal organization for the program:

NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows:

SECTION 1. (a) There is hereby established the Committee for Rural Development Program, hereinafter referred to as the Committee, which shall be composed of the following members:

(1) The Under Secretary of Agriculture, who shall be the Chairman of the Committee.

(2) The Under Secretary of the Interior.

(3) The Under Secretary of Commerce.

(4) The Under Secretary of Labor.

(5) The Under Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare.

(6) The Administrator of the Small Business Administration.

(7) A member of the Council of Economic Advisers designated by the Chairman of the Council.

(b) To assure effective functioning of the Committee and uninterrupted participation of each department and agency represented on the Committee, the head of each such department or agency shall designate an appropriate officer or employee of his department or agency as an alternate member to participate in the affairs of the Committee whenever the member may be absent or otherwise unable to participate.

(c) The Committee may request the head of any other Federal department or agency to designate a representative to participate in the affairs of the Committee as desirable in furthering the work of the rural-development program and related activities.

SEC. 2. The activities of the Committee shall be directed toward providing leadership and uniform policy guidance to the several Federal departments and agencies responsible for rural-development program functions and related activities so that they may take more effective and concerted actions in carrying out those functions and activities and cooperate more effectively with non-Federal participants, both private and governmental, in the program.

SEC. 3. In conducting its activities, the Committee shall place particular emphasis on effective public and private cooperation and leadership for rural development at the State and local levels, and, to that end, shall provide guidance for the conduct of Federal rural-development program functions and related activities in a manner designed to produce maximum State, local, and private participation and initiative in identifying and meeting local needs.

SEC. 4. Each department and agency responsible for functions and activities that can contribute to the objectives of the rural-development program and related activities shall carry those functions and activities forward in such a manner as to make the fullest possible contribution to the objectives of rural development.

SEC. 5. The departments and agencies represented on the Committee shall, as may be necessary for the purpose of effectuating the provisions of this order, furnish assistance to the Committee in consonance with section 214 of the act of May 3, 1945, 59 Stat. 134 (31 U.S.C. 691). Such assistance may include the detailing of employees to the Committee, one of whom may serve as its executive secretary, to perform such functions consistent with the purpose of this order as the Committee may assign to them.

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

THE WHITE HOUSE,

October 12, 1959.