Dear Bob:
As you know, one of my priority aims is to establish a more effective partnership between the States and the Federal Government.
On September 30, 1970, we completed realignment of the field operations of the principal Federal agencies concerned with social programs into ten standard regions, and relocation of the regional headquarters for these agencies in the same city in each region. Thus, you and your staff will now be able, for the first time, to deal with the most senior field officials of the Departments of HEW, HUD, and Labor and the OEO and Small Business Administration, all in Kansas City.
Furthermore, I have directed that the regional directors of HEW, HUD, the Manpower Administration, OEO, and the regional representatives of the Secretary of Transportation in each of these headquarters cities, convene themselves as a Federal Regional Council. These Councils are to develop and maintain close working relationships with State and local governments, to coordinate their grant programs in a manner responsive to other levels of government, and when necessary, to convene their counterparts from other Federal departments and agencies to develop means to react better to specific regional, State and local problems.
I expect Council members to be especially attentive to the needs of the chief executives of State and local governments. The Kansas City Regional Council will welcome your views regarding the relationship of Federal grant programs to your State, and also on ways to increase the effectiveness of the Federal-State partnership in the solution of our domestic problems.
If you have not already done so, I hope you will take the opportunity to meet with the Kansas City Regional Council, and to discuss with its members our efforts to restore a better balance between the State capitals and the National capital. I am sure you will find them both interested and cooperative.
Sincerely,
RICHARD NIXON
[Honorable Robert D. Ray, Governor of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa]
NOTE: A similar letter was sent to each of the Governors of the States and Territories.
For statements about the standard[zing of regional boundaries, see 1969 volume, Items 134 and 208.
Richard Nixon, Letter About the Formation of Federal Regional Councils Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/240507