5 February 1998
Delivered-By-The-Graces-Of: White House Electronic Publications
To: Public-Distribution@pub.pub.whitehouse.gov
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 1998 15:30 -0500
From: The White House <Publications-Admin@pub.pub.whitehouse.gov>
Reply-To: Publications@pub.pub.whitehouse.gov
Subject: 1998-02-04 Executive Order on Year 2000 Conversion
Keywords: Computers, Economy, Energy, Executive-Act, Executive-Order, Foreign,
Government, Healthcare, Infrastructure, International-Cooperation,
Monetary-Policy, Organization, Social, Technology, Transportation
Document-ID: pdi://oma.eop.gov.us/1998/2/4/12.text.1
URL: http://www.pub.whitehouse.gov/uri-res/I2R?urn:pdi://oma.eop.gov.us/1998/2/4/12.text.1
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release February 4, 1998
EXECUTIVE ORDER
- - - - - - -
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 procedural, 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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