Executive Order 11945—Physical Fitness and Sports

By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and statutes of the United States of America, and as President of the United States of America, Executive Order No. 11562, as amended, is further amended as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 1 is amended to read:

"Section 1. Program for physical fitness and sports. The Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare (hereinafter referred to as "the Secretary"), shall, in carrying out his responsibilities in relation to education and public health, develop and coordinate a national program for physical fitness and sports. The Secretary shall:

"(a) Enlist the active support and assistance of individual citizens, civic groups, professional associations, amateur and professional sports groups, private enterprise, voluntary organizations and others in efforts to promote and improve the health of all Americans through regular participation in physical fitness and sports activities;

"(b) initiate programs to inform the general public of the importance of exercise and the link which exists between regular physical activity and such qualities as good health And effective performance;

"(c) strengthen coordination of Federal services and programs relating to physical fitness and sports participation;

"(d) encourage State and local governments to emphasize the importance of regular physical fitness and sports participation;

"(e) seek to advance the physical fitness of children, youth, adults and senior citizens by systematically encouraging the development of community recreation, physical fitness and sports participation programs;

"(f) develop cooperative programs with medical, dental and other similar professional societies to encourage the implementation of sound physical fitness practices;

"(g) stimulate and encourage research in the areas of physical fitness and sports performances;

"(h) assist educational agencies at all levels in developing high-quality, innovative health and physical education programs which emphasize the importance of exercise to good health;

"(i) assist business, industry, government and labor organizations in establishing sound physical fitness programs to elevate employee health and to reduce the financial and human costs resulting from physical inactivity.".

SEC. 2. The following new subsection is added to Section 5:

"(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other Executive order, the functions of the President under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.G. App. 1), except that of reporting annually to the Congress, which are applicable to the Council established by this Order, shall be performed by the Secretary in accordance with guidelines and procedures established by the Office of Management and Budget.".

GERALD R. FORD

The White House,

October 25, 1976.