Presidential Task Force on the District of Columbia Announcement of Formation and Membership.

President Carter today announced formation of a 14-member Presidential Task Force on the District of Columbia. The Task Force, designed as an intergovernmental working group on District problems, will consist of representatives of Congress, the District government, and the executive branch. The Task Force will establish a mutual agenda of issues for the city and the Federal Government to explore and will help provide recommendations for Presidential review.

The President said the Task Force will be an informal vehicle for discussing short- and long-term issues affecting the Federal-District relationship. The group will consider alternative ways for approaching problems that require Federal and local collaboration.

Vice President Mondale has been designated as the Convenor of the Task Force, with White House District Liaison Martha "Bunny" Mitchell as Coordinator.

The Vice President will convene the initial Task Force meeting within the next few weeks, oversee the activities of the executive branch working group, and help formulate recommendations to the President.

The congressional representatives on the Task Force are House District Committee chairman Charles Diggs (D-Mich.); District Delegate Walter Fauntroy (DD.C.); Representative Stewart McKinney (R-Conn.), ranking Republican on the House District Committee; Representative William Natcher (D-Ky.), House Appropriations District Subcommittee chairman; Senate District Subcommittee chairman Thomas Eagleton (DMo.); Senator Charles Mathias (RMd.), ranking Republican on the Senate District Committee; and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Senate Appropriations District Subcommittee chairman.

The District government will be represented by Mayor Walter Washington and Council Chairman Sterling Tucker.

Besides Mrs. Mitchell the executive branch representatives are Jim Dyke, of the Vice President's staff; Peter Fannon, of the Office of Management and Budget; and Kurt Schmoke, of the Domestic Policy Council.

The permanent Task Force members were asked to serve because of their official positions and responsibilities.

Other governmental officials will be asked to contribute to the discussion of issues related to their specific concerns. Citizen input should be made through the locally elected District representatives-the mayor, Chairman Tucker, and Delegate Fauntroy.

The idea for such a Task Force was first suggested during a recent meeting between the President, Vice President, and congressional Members on March 15 to discuss District issues. That meeting was requested by House District Committee Chairman Charles Diggs, as an opportunity to focus Federal 'attention on the needs of the District.