Executive Order 12053—National Commission on the International Year of the Child, 1979

By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution of the United States of America, in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. I) and the United Nations General Assembly resolution of December 21, 1976 which designated the year 1979 as the International Year of the Child, and as President of the United States of America, in order to provide for the observance of the International Year of the Child within the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows:

SECTION 1. Establishment of Commission. (a) There is hereby established the National Commission on the International Year of the Child, 1979, hereinafter referred to as the Commission.

(b) The Commission shall be composed of not more than 25 persons appointed by the President from among citizens in private life. The President shall designate the Chairman and two Vice Chairmen.

(c) The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives are invited to designate two Members of each House to serve on the Commission.

SEC. 2. Functions of the Commission. (a) The Commission shall plan for and promote the national observance in the United States of the year 1979 as the International Year of the Child. The Commission shall coordinate its efforts with local, State, national, and international organizations, including the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

(b) In promoting this observance, the Commission shall foster within the United States a better understanding of the special needs of children. In particular, the Commission shall give special attention to the health, education, social environment, physical and emotional development, and legal rights and needs of children that are unique to them as children.

(c) The Commission shall keep informed of activities by organizations and groups in the United States and abroad in observance of the Year. The Commission shall consult with, and stimulate activities and programs through, community, civic, State, regional, national Federal and international organizations.

(d) The Commission may conduct studies, inquiries, hearings and meetings as it deems necessary. It may assemble and disseminate information, issue reports and other publications. It may also coordinate, sponsor, or oversee projects, studies, events and other activities that it deems necessary or desirable for the observance of 1979 as the International Year of the Child.

(e) The Commission shall make recommendations to the President on national policies for improving the well-being of children; shall issue periodic reports on discrete areas of the rights and needs of children; and shall submit, no later than November 30, 1978, an interim report to the President on its work and tentative recommendations.

SEC. 3. Resources, Assistance, and Cooperation. (a) The Commission may establish subcommittees. Private citizens who are not members of the Commission may be included as members of subcommittees.

(b) The Commission may request any Executive agency to furnish such information, advice, services, and funds as may be useful for the fulfillment of the Commission's functions under this order. Each such agency is authorized, to the extent permitted by law and within the limits of available funds, to furnish such information, advice, services, and funds to the Commission upon request of the Chairman of the Commission.

(c) The Commission is authorized to appoint and fix the compensation of a staff and such other persons as may be necessary to enable it to carry out its functions. The Commission may obtain services in accordance with the provisions of Section 3109 of Title 5 of the United States Code, to the extent funds are available therefore.

(d) Each member of the Commission and its subcommittees may receive, to the extent permitted by law, compensation for each day he or she is engaged officially in meetings of the Commission or its subcommittees at a rate not to exceed the daily rate now or hereafter prescribed by law for GS-15 of the General Schedule; and, may also receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law (5 U.S.C. 5702 and 5703) for persons in the government service employed intermittently.

SEC. 4. Coordination. (a) The heads of Executive agencies shall designate an agency representative for purposes of coordinating agency support for the national observance of the International Year of the Child, 1979. The Co-Chairmen, designated by the Secretaries of State and Health, Education, and Welfare, of the Interagency Committee for the International Year of the Child should act as advisers to, and coordinate activities with, the Chairman of the Commission.

(b) The General Services Administration shall provide administrators services, facilities, and support to the Commission on a reimbursable basis.

(c) The functions of the President under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. I), except that of reporting annually to the Congress, which are applicable to the Commission, shall be performed by the Administrator of General Services as provided by Executive Order No. 12024 of December 1, 1977.

SEC. 5. Final Report and Termination. The Commission shall conclude its work and submit a final report to the President, including its recommendations for improving the well-being of children, at least 30 days prior to its termination. The Commission shall terminate on April 1, 1979.

JIMMY CARTER

The White House,

April 14, 1978.

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 12:07 p.m., April 14, 1978]