Implementation of the Civil Service Reform Act Statement on Receiving the Report of the Comptroller General.

I am pleased to receive Comptroller General Elmer Staats' first annual evaluation of the Federal Government's success in implementing the Civil Service Reform Act. I am pleased, too, that this independent study, required by the Congress, reveals that excellent progress is being made and that implementation is on schedule.

During the past 18 months, the Office of Personnel Management, under the leadership of Director Alan K. Campbell, has worked vigorously with Federal departments and agencies to make the provisions of the reform act permanent features of the Federal service. As the Comptroller General points out, "It will take several years for all the central features of civil service reform to be in place." But he also notes the excellent achievements that have already been made.

The Senior Executive Service is operating successfully. Over 98 percent of eligible Federal officials have accepted membership voluntarily. New performance appraisal and merit pay systems are in place or under design throughout the Government. Women and minorities are achieving measurable gains in Federal employment. The Office of Personnel Management is undertaking its new leadership role to help us conquer inflation by improving public sector productivity and management at all jurisdictional levels.

While the overall report is very favorable, it also properly alerts us to potential problems embodied in the reforms. I have asked Scotty Campbell to examine these areas of concern and, specifically, to take a hard look at the values and costs of the expanded early retirement options in the legislation. I am confident that OPM will continue its efforts to decentralize personnel management authority to meet the needs of individual agencies, while maintaining vigorous oversight to ensure that agencies do not use this authority in violation of the prohibited personnel practices enumerated in the act.

I want to thank Mr. Staats and the staff of the General Accounting Office for this objective, comprehensive, and insightful report. It is most helpful to me, as I am sure it is to the Congress and the rest of the Federal Government. I also want to thank the thousands of men and women throughout the Government who worked so hard in 1979 to make good on the promise of civil service reform.

On introducing this legislation, I pledged that civil service reform would be the centerpiece of my efforts to make the Federal Government more efficient, more effective, and more responsive to the American people. On the basis of this fine report, I am convinced that these goals are being achieved.