Memorandum Further Restricting Employment in Federal Agencies and Travel by Federal Personnel

Memorandum for Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies

SUBJECT: Further restrictions on employment and travel

In view of the high costs of the conflict in Vietnam and in the interest of avoiding inflationary pressures at home, I asked all major agencies last March to defer projects and expenditures wherever this could be done without harm to the national interest.

To further this effort, I would like each department and agency to adopt formal programs of

(1) deferring the filling of vacant positions, and

(2) foregoing some previously planned travel.

It should not be too great a hardship to stretch out the filling of vacancies and, in some cases, even to forgo replacing a portion of those who leave their positions in your agency. To help accomplish this, you might require that decisions to fill vacancies be approved at a higher level than now prevails.

Similarly, some travel, which seemed important at the time your 1967 budget request was formulated, should be reconsidered in light of the substantial increase in demands on the economy since that time. I believe this is possible even though I realize that the 1967 budget allowances were made on a very restrictive basis.

It is not my intention to defer or eliminate the essential; for example, travel for law enforcement, or for necessary supervision of field establishments, are costs which--if the activities are to be carried on efficiently-must be borne. On the other hand, it should be possible to reduce travel that might be desirable rather than essential, such as for attendance at professional conferences or meetings.

Will you please send me a report through the Budget Director by June 3 of the steps you are taking in your agency to carry out the suggestions in this memorandum?

LYNDON B. JOHNSON