Press Release -Executive Order #11776 Continuing the President's Committee on Mental Retardation and Broadening Its Membership and Responsibilities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 28, 1974 Office of the White House Press Secretary THE WHITE HOUSE EXECUTIVE ORDER #11776. CONTINUING THE PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE ON MENTAL RETARDATION AND BROADENING ITS MEMBERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITIES The President's Committee on Mental Retardation, established by Executive Order No. 11280 on May 11, 1966, has mobilized national planning and carried out basic programs in the field of mental retardation. National goals have been established to reduce the occurrence of mental retardation by one-half before the end of the century and to return one-third of the people in mental institutions to useful lives in their communities. The achievement of these goals will require the most effective possible use of public and private resources. Our country has become increasingly aware in recent years of the need to assure those who are retarded their full status as citizens under the law, and of the continuing need to mobilize the support of the general public and of specialized professional and volunteer groups for mental retardation activities. We also know that we must constantly evaluate existing programs to determine their adequacy and must continually consider a broad range of proposals for new mental retardation activities. NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1. Committee continued and responsibilities expanded. The President's Committee on Mental Retardation (hereinafter referred to as the Committee), with expanded membership and expanded responsibilities, is hereby continued in operation. Sec. 2. Composition of Committee. The Committee shall be composed of the following members: (1) The Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, who shall be the Chairman of the Committee. (2) The Attorney General. (3) The Secretary of Labor. (4) The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. (5) The Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity. (6) The Director of ACTION. (7) Not more than twenty-one other members who shall be appointed to the Committee by the President. These persons may be employed in either the public or the private sectors more