Memorandum Establishing a Task Force on Summer Domestic Programs

Memorandum for the Vice President

SUBJECT: Task Force on Summer Domestic Programs

Each year a number of serious problems, amenable to public action, arise or are exaggerated during the summer months. For instance:

--Youths on school vacation are searching for employment and could therefore profit greatly by additional job opportunities. While rising economic activity will open up many jobs for these young people, we cannot assume that it will take care of the entire problem.

--Children and youths on summer vacation place greater demands upon existing recreational and community facilities to occupy their time.

--Working mothers with school-age children have greater difficulty in maintaining their jobs.

--Unrest is typically greatest during the summer months.

At the same time, many resources which could be utilized to cope with social problems are freed up during the summer:

--School teachers, counselors, and university students seeking summer employment could be better utilized.

--Physical facilities of schools, such as classrooms and gymnasiums can be made more generally available.

--Certain jobs, such as park beautification, conservation work, and in tourist industries, are expanded in the summer and should be identified.

I believe that, with adequate prior planning, the Federal Government can make a significant contribution toward assuring that available resources are used in the most efficient manner to cope with those problems which emerge. This memorandum establishes a special task force to carry out the desired planning. Members of the task force, to be chaired by you, will be the Attorney General, the Secretary of Commerce. Secretary of HEW, Secretary of HUD, Secretary of Labor, Chairman of the CSC, and the Director of OEO.

I would expect this task force to: (a) identify and describe problems that are likely to arise next summer, (b) indicate appropriate action which should be taken to alleviate such problems, and (c) indicate how such action might best be implemented. In this connection, I would expect the task force to consider not only the most efficient use of Federal resources in combating such problems, but also how best to enlist the support of other public and private organizations. The potential problems to be considered by the task force should embrace the full range of domestic social concern, including employment, education, recreation, health, community relations, etc.

I request that this task force submit to me its recommendations by April 1, 1966.

LYNDON B. JOHNSON