The White House Briefing Room
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February 4, 1998
EXECUTIVE ORDER
Message Creation Date was at 4-FEB-1998 12:50:00
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release
February 4, 1998
EXECUTIVE ORDER
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YEAR 2000 CONVERSION
The American people expect reliable service from their Government and
deserve the confidence that critical government functions dependent on
electronic systems will be performed accurately and in a timely manner.
Because of a design feature in many electronic systems, a large number of
activities in the public and private sectors could be at risk beginning in
the year 2000. Some computer systems and other electronic devices will
misinterpret the year "00" as 1900, rather than 2000. Unless appropriate
action is taken, this flaw, known as the "Y2K problem," can cause systems
that support those functions to compute erroneously or simply not run.
Minimizing the Y2K problem will require a major technological and
managerial effort, and it is critical that the United States Government do
its part in addressing this challenge.
Accordingly, by the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution
and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as
follows:
Section 1. Policy.
(a) It shall be the policy of the executive branch that agencies shall:
(1) assure that no critical Federal program experiences disruption because
of the Y2K problem;
(2) assist and cooperate with State, local, and tribal governments to
address the Y2K problem where those governments depend on Federal
information or information technology or the Federal Government is
dependent on those governments to perform critical missions;
(3) cooperate with the private sector operators of critical national and
local systems, including the banking and financial system, the
telecommunications system, the public health system, the transportation
system, and the electric power generation system, in addressing the Y2K
problem; and
(4) communicate with their foreign counterparts to raise awareness of and
generate cooperative international arrangements to address the Y2K problem.
(b) As used in this order, "agency" and "agencies" refer to Federal
agencies that are not in the judicial or legislative branches.
Sec. 2. Year 2000 Conversion Council. There is hereby established the
President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion (the "Council").
(a) The Council shall be led by a Chair who shall be an Assistant to the
President, and it shall be composed of one representative from each of the
executive departments and from such other Federal agencies as may be
determined by the Chair of the Council (the "Chair").
(b) The Chair shall appoint a Vice Chair and assign other responsibilities
for operations of the council as he or she deems necessary.
(c) The Chair shall oversee the activities of agencies to assure that their
systems operate smoothly through the year 2000, act as chief spokesperson
on this issue for the executive branch in national and international fora,
provide policy coordination of executive branch activities with State,
local, and tribal governments on the Y2K problem, and promote appropriate
Federal roles with respect to private sector activities in this area.
(d) The Chair and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall
report jointly at least quarterly to me on the progress of agencies in
addressing the Y2K problem.
(e) The Chair shall identify such resources from agencies as the Chair
deems necessary for the implementation of the policies set out in this
order, consistent with applicable law.
Sec. 3. Responsibilities of Agency Heads.
(a) The head of each agency shall:
(1) assure that efforts to address the Y2K problem receive the highest
priority attention in the agency and that the policies established in this
order are carried out; and
(2) cooperate to the fullest extent with the Chair by making available such
information, support, and assistance, including personnel, as the Chair may
request to support the accomplishment of the tasks assigned herein,
consistent with applicable law.
(b) The heads of executive departments and the agencies designated by the
Chair under section 2(a) of this order shall identify a responsible
official to represent the head of the executive department or agency on the
Council with sufficient authority and experience to commit agency resources
to address the Y2K problem.
Sec. 4. Responsibilities of Interagency and Executive Office Councils.
Interagency councils and councils within the Executive Office of the
President, including the President's Management Council, the Chief
Information Officers Council, the Chief Financial Officers Council, the
President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency, the Executive Council on
Integrity and Efficiency, the National Science and Technology Council, the
National Performance Review, the National Economic Council, the Domestic
Policy Council, and the National Security Council shall provide assistance
and support to the Chair upon the Chair's request.
Sec. 5. Judicial Review. This Executive order is intended only to improve
the internal management of the executive branch and does not create any
right or benefit, substantive or pro-cedural, enforceable at law or equity
by a party against the United States, its agencies, or instrumentalities,
its officers or employees, or any other person.
WILLIAM J. CLINTON
THE WHITE HOUSE,
February 4, 1998.
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