For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
October 17, 2001
Freedom to Manage Act Legislative Proposal
To the Congress of the United States
I am pleased to transmit for immediate consideration and prompt enactment the "Freedom to Manage Act of 2001." This legislative proposal
would establish a procedure under which the Congress can act quickly and
decisively to remove those structural barriers to efficient management
imposed by law and identified by my Administration.
This proposal is part of the "Freedom to
Manage" initiative outlined in the "President's Management Agenda"
issued in late August. The initiative includes additional
legislative pro-posals, to be transmitted separately, that would give
Federal agencies and managers the tools to more efficiently and
effectively manage the Federal Government's programs by: (1) providing
Federal managers with increased flexibility to manage personnel; (2)
giving agencies the responsibility to fund the full Government share of
the accruing cost of all retirement and retiree health care benefits
for Federal employees; and (3) giving agencies greater flexibility in
managing and disposing of property assets.
In transmitting the Freedom to Manage Act,
I am asking the Congress to join with my Administration in
making a commitment to reform the Federal Government by eliminating
obstacles to its efficient operations. Specifically, the Freedom to
Manage Act would establish a process for expedited congressional
considera-tion of Presidential proposals to eliminate or reduce
barriers to efficient Government operations through the repeal or
amendment of laws that create obstacles to efficient management or the
provision of new authority to agencies.
The Freedom to Manage Act would provide
that if the President transmits to the Congress legislative proposals
relating to the elimination or reduction of barriers to efficient
Govern-ment operations, either through repeal or amendment of current
law or the provision of new authority, special expedited congressional
procedures would be used to consider these proposals. If a
joint resolution is introduced in either House within 10 legislative
days of the transmittal containing the President's legislative
proposals, it would be held in committee for no more than 30
legislative days. It would then be brought to the floor of
that House very quickly after committee action is completed for a vote
under special procedures allowing for limited debate and no
amendments. Finally, a bill passed in one House could then be brought
directly to the floor of the other House for a vote on final passage.
As barriers to more efficient management
are removed, the Nation will rightly expect a higher level of
performance from its Federal Government. Giving our Federal managers
"freedom to manage" will enable the Federal Government to improve its
performance and accountability and better serve the
public. I urge the Congress to give the Freedom to Manage
Act 2001 prompt and favorable consideration so we can work together in
the coming months to implement needed and overdue reforms.
GEORGE W. BUSH
THE WHITE HOUSE,
October 17, 2001.
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