Executive Order 10724—Establishing a Career Executive Committee

By virtue of the authority vested in me by the laws of the United States, including section 1753 of the Revised Statutes

(5 U.S.C. 631) and the Civil Service Act of January 16, 1883 (22 Stat. 403), and as President of the United States, it is ordered as follows:

SECTION 1. There is hereby established a Career Executive Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Committee) which shall be composed of five members, not more than three of whom shall be members of the same political party and one of whom shall be designated by the President as Chairman of the Committee, as follows:

(a) Three members appointed by the President.

(b) A representative of the United States Civil Service Commission.

(c) A representative of the President's Advisory Committee on Government Organization.

SEC. 2. After taking into consideration the views of the departments and agencies and making such inquiries as it deems appropriate, the Committee shall develop specific recommendations with respect to the establishment of a Career Executive Program within the civil-service system. The Committee shall prepare proposed legislation, Executive orders, and regulations necessary to establish a clear policy and plan for the operation of the Career Executive Program recommended by the Committee.

SEC. 3. The objectives of the Career Executive Program recommended by the Committee shall be to facilitate the more efficient operations of the Federal Government through:

(a) Improvement of the Civil Service system to better meet the special needs and problems of the Federal Government in the selection, compensation and effective use of its top career civil servants.

(b) Making the civil service more attractive as a career to able men and women.

(c) Providing for the planned development of employees at all levels to increase the number of individuals qualified to meet the standards of the Career Executive Program.

SEC. 4. The Committee shall develop its recommendations in accordance with sound merit-system principles, and shall be guided by the following:

(a) All selections and promotions should be on a merit basis and no political test or qualification shall be required or given consideration.

(b) High qualitative standards should be applied for selection and promotion requiring appropriate training and experience in the field or departmental service and in staff or operating positions.

(c) Only career civil servants should be eligible for participation.

(d) Selection into the Career Executive Program (1) should be from among employees who have experience of an administrative or managerial nature, rather than those having highly specialized backgrounds whose work has not regularly required the application of either administrative experience or knowledge, and (2) for an initial period of appropriate duration should be from among career civil servants in Grades GS-16, GS-17, and GS-18.

SEC. 5. Subject to law, the heads of departments and agencies shall cooperate with and assist the Committee in carrying out the provisions of this order.

SEC. 6. The Civil Service Commission may furnish the Committee with the necessary space, facilities, and personnel to carry out the provisions of this order, in consonance with section 214 of the act of May 3, 1945, 59 Stat. 134 (31 U.S.C. 691).

SEC. 7. The members of the Committee provided for in section 1 (a) of this order shall serve without compensation, but may receive transportation and per-diem allowances as authorized by law for persons serving without compensation. The other members of the Committee shall serve without additional compensation.

SEC. 8. The Committee shall report to the President not later than November 1, 1957, and shall include in its report the views of the departments and agencies consulted.

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

THE WHITE HOUSE,

August 12, 1957.