Statement by the President Upon Issuing Executive Order on the Administration of the Foreign Service Personnel System.

I HAVE today issued an Executive order implementing Public Law 90-494, which:

--established a career corps of Foreign Service information officers for the U.S. Information Agency,

--authorized unlimited tenure for Foreign Service reserve officers of the Department of State and the U.S.. Information Agency, and

--provided for the participation, by Agency Foreign Service staff officers with 10 years service, in the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability System.

I am also designating the Director of the Budget, and the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission, as officials to be consulted by the Secretary of State and the Director of USIA before issuing regulations governing Foreign Service personnel and retirement systems.

Public Law 90-494 for the first time provides a career merit personnel system for U.S.. Information Agency Foreign Service personnel. This is an important step toward a unified career Foreign Service of the United States, one that is better equipped to meet the needs of modern diplomacy. Our ability to advance United States foreign policy goals rests to a considerable degree on the ability and integrity of the people involved in our foreign activities. In no other area of the Federal service is it more essential to our national interest to attract and retain outstanding individuals.

The new law authorizes Foreign Service information officers, Foreign Service staff personnel of the Agency with 10 years service, and Foreign Service reserve officers with unlimited tenure to become participants in the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability System under regulations prescribed by the President. I am delegating that authority to the Secretary of State.

I am also providing that the Board of the Foreign Service and Board of Examiners for the Foreign Service exercise, for Foreign Service information officers, the same functions the boards exercise under Executive Order 11264 with respect to Foreign Service officers of the Department of State. The membership of the Board of the Foreign Service is to be increased by the addition of a second U.S.. Information Agency member.