Executive Order 11455—Establishing an Office of Intergovernmental Relations

By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the statutes of the United States, and as President of the United States, it is ordered as follows:

SECTION 1. Establishment of the Office. (a) There is hereby established the Office of Intergovernmental Relations (hereinafter referred to as "the Office"). The Office shall be under the immediate supervision of the Vice President of the United States.

(b) In addition to his other duties, the Vice President shall act as the President's liaison with executive and legislative officials of State and local governments; encourage and assist in facilitating maximum cooperation between and among the various Federal agencies and such other governments; help to make the Federal executive branch, especially those sectors thereof having a direct impact on intergovernmental relations, more sensitive, receptive and responsive to the views of State and local officials; serve as the focal point of efforts by Federal departments, agencies, and interagency councils and committees to resolve specific difficulties that arise in their relationships with such officials; work closely with and encourage the work of the Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations; and inform the Council for Urban Affairs on general intergovernmental issues of an informational, administrative, or program nature so that the Council may more effectively advise and assist the President with respect to urban affairs.

SEC. 2. Functions of the Office. The Office shall advise and assist the Vice President with respect to (1) intergovernmental relations generally, and (2) the responsibilities assigned to the Vice President specifically under section 1 (b). In addition, the Office shall:

(a) serve as the clearinghouse for the prompt handling and solution of Federal-State-local problems brought to the attention of the President or Vice President by executive and legislative officers of State and local governments;

(b) identify and report to the Vice President on recurring intergovernmental problems of a Federal interdepartmental and interprogram nature;

(c) explore and report to the Vice President on ways and means of strengthening the headquarters and interagency relationships of Federal field offices as they relate to intergovernmental activities;

(d) maintain continuing liaison with intergovernmental units in Federal departments and agencies and with the staff of the Council for Urban Affairs, and provide the staff of the Council with information and assistance regarding issues arising in Federal-State-local relations; and

(e) review procedures utilized by Federal executive agencies for affording State and local officials an opportunity to confer and comment on Federal assistance programs and other intergovernmental issues, and propose methods of strengthening such procedures.

SEC. 3. Administrative Arrangements. (a) A person designated by the Vice President shall serve as Director of the Office. The Director shall perform such duties as the Vice President may from time to time direct.

(b) A person designated by the Vice President shall serve as Deputy Director of the Office and assist the Director in performing those duties assigned to him.

(c) All Federal departments, agencies, interagency councils and committees having an impact on intergovernmental relations, and all Federal Executive Boards, shall extend full cooperation and assistance to the Vice President and the Director of the Office in carrying out their responsibilities under this order. The Director shall, upon request, assist all Federal departments and agencies with problems that may arise between them and the executive agencies or elected officials of State and local governments.

(d) The head of each Federal department and agency shall designate an appropriate official with broad general experience in his department or agency to serve, upon request of the Vice President, as a point of contact in carrying out Federal-State-local liaison activities under this order.

SEC. 4. Construction. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed as subjecting any department, establishment, or other instrumentality of the executive branch of the Federal Government or the head thereof, or any function vested by law in or assigned pursuant to law to any such agency or head, to the authority of any other such agency or head or as abrogating, modifying, or restricting any such function in any manner.

(b) This order supersedes Executive Order No. 11426 of August 31, 1968.

RICHARD NIXON

The White House

February 14, 1969