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Memorandums Directing a Reduction of Personnel and Official Travel Overseas

January 18, 1968

Memorandum to the Heads of Executive Departments and Establishments

SUBJECT: Reduction of overseas personnel and official travel.

Today I sent the attached memorandum to the Secretary of State and the Director of the Bureau of the Budget directing them to undertake a four-part program to reduce United States personnel overseas. I expect each Department and agency to cooperate fully in this endeavor.

In addition, I hereby direct the head of each Department and agency to take steps to reduce U.S. official travel overseas to the minimum consistent with the orderly conduct of the Government's business abroad. I have asked private U.S. citizens to curtail their own travel outside the Western Hemisphere in the interest of reducing our balance of payments deficit. Federal agencies should participate in this effort.

The policy applies particularly to travel to international conferences held overseas. Heads of Departments and agencies will take immediate measures to

--reduce the number of such conferences attended.

--hold our attendance to a minimum and use U.S. personnel located at or near conference site to the extent possible.

--schedule conferences where possible, in the U.S. or countries in which excess currencies can be used.

You should present your plans for travel to international conferences held overseas to the Secretary of State, who, with the Director of the Budget, will undertake a special review of this matter.

This directive shall not apply to

--travel necessary for permanent change-of-station for U.S. employees, for their home leave, and for medical and rest and recuperative leave.

--travel made necessary by measures to reduce U.S. employment overseas outlined in the attached memorandum.

--travel financed from available excess foreign currencies. You are requested to submit to the Director of the Budget, not later than March 15, a statement on the actions you have taken to reduce all types of overseas travel, the results expected from such actions, and your recommendations as to any additional measures that might be taken.

LYNDON B. JOHNSON

Memorandum for the Secretary of State and Director, Bureau of the Budget

SUBJECT: Reduction in U.S. employees and official travel overseas

As a part of my program for dealing with our balance of payments problem, announced on New Year's day, I would like you jointly to take the specific measures to reduce U.S. employment and curtail official travel abroad, as outlined herein. Within the Department of State, the Senior Interdepartmental Group, chaired by Under Secretary Katzenbach, shall serve as the focal point for carrying out this directive.

You should make these reductions in a way which maintains the effectiveness of our international programs. I would like you to give particular attention to personnel reductions which can be made through relocation and regrouping of functions, the elimination of overlapping and duplication, the discontinuance of outdated and marginal activities, and a general streamlining of operations.

I. Reduction in U.S. personnel overseas

This directive applies to all employees under the jurisdiction of U.S. diplomatic missions and includes the representatives of all U.S. civilian agencies which have programs or activities overseas. It also includes military attaches, Military Assistance Advisory Groups, and other military personnel serving under the Ambassadors. It does not apply to U.S. personnel in Vietnam.

The Secretary of Defense has already initiated measures to reduce staffing of the military assistance program. I am asking the Secretary to complete these studies in time to support the goals outlined below.

You are directed to take the following actions:

1. As a first step, you should proceed, with appropriate participation by U.S. Ambassadors and agencies, to reduce the total number of American personnel overseas by 10 percent, with reductions of at least this magnitude applied to all missions of over 100. Similar reductions should be made in employment of foreign nationals and contract personnel. Your decisions on this first phase, which shall be final, shall be completed by April 1.

2. You should also initiate a special intensive review of our activities and staffing in 10 countries with very large U.S. missions. Your objective, in this second step, should be to reduce U.S. employment by substantially more than the 10 percent immediate reduction taken in the first step. Your final decisions should be made on this phase by August 1.

3. As a third step, you should proceed to extend these intensive reviews of U.S. activities to other countries beyond the first 10 as rapidly as feasible.

4. Simultaneously, you should initiate special studies from Washington of functional areas aimed at reducing instructions, assignments, and activities which unnecessarily create the need for maintaining or increasing overseas staff, e.g., reporting requirements, consular work, and administrative support.

Clearly, reductions of this magnitude will involve major changes in agency staffing and personnel plans. I am asking Chairman Macy of the Civil Service Commission to assist agencies in solving attendant personnel problems and in facilitating the reassignment of employees returning to the United States.

II. Curtailment in official travel

I am requesting all Department and agency heads to reduce official travel outside the U.S. to the minimum consistent with orderly conduct of the Government's business. I would like you to give special attention to measures to minimize travel to international conferences.

By April 1, I would like you to report on the actions taken in this regard and to recommend any additional steps required.

LYNDON B. JOHNSON

Note: An announcement of a plan for an initial reduction in overseas personnel in response to the President's memorandums is published in the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents (vol. 4, p. 618). A memorandum from the Director, Bureau of the Budget, reporting on reduction in overseas travel was made public on November 6, 1968 (vol. 4, p. 1579).

Lyndon B. Johnson, Memorandums Directing a Reduction of Personnel and Official Travel Overseas Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/238221

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