Memorandum on the Reduction of Fraud and Waste in Federal Programs

Memorandum for

The Secretary of State
The Secretary of the Treasury The Secretary of Defense The Attorney General
The Secretary of the Interior The Secretary of Agriculture The Secretary of Commerce The Secretary of Labor
The Secretary of Health and Human Services
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
The Secretary of Transportation The Secretary of Energy
The Secretary of Education
The Director of the Community Services Administration
The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
The Administrator of General Services
The Director of the United States International Development Cooperation Agency
The Director of the Office of Management and Budget
The Director of the Office of Personnel Management
The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
The Administrator of the Small Business Administration
The Administrator of Veterans Affairs

Subject: Government-Wide Anti-Fraud and Waste Efforts

The reduction of fraud and waste in all Federal programs is a major commitment and priority of my Administration. Today, I am establishing, by Executive Order, the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency to focus and improve our efforts to deal with the problem. The Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget will chair this Council which will include all of the statutory Inspectors General and other key officials.

The commitment to reduce fraud and waste cannot be met simply by appointing Inspectors General and establishing a Presidential Council. Each of you is responsible for taking the initiative to reduce fraud and waste wherever they are found in the programs which you administer.

The establishment of this Council is an integral part of a broader plan to attack fraud, waste and inefficiency in Federal programs. This plan will involve a combination of key officials and organizations, coordinating mechanisms, and priority projects operating under active OMB leadership on my behalf.

I expect each of you to provide the necessary support and cooperation to assure that our objective is accomplished. One specific action I am asking you to take is to designate an individual at the Assistant Secretary level or higher who will have the responsibility for following up on the recommendations of your Inspector General and the General Accounting Office.

RONALD REAGAN