Volume 96 · 1761
Public Law 97–367
To establish a White House Conference on Productivity.
Approved October 25, 1982
Statutory text
An Act
To establish a White House Conference on Productivity.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Sec. 101. short title
This Act may be cited as the “White House Conference
on Productivity Act”.
Sec. 102. findings
The Congress finds that—
the United States traditional annual productivity improvement rate of approximately 3 per centum has fallen drastically in recent years to a negative one-half of 1 per centum;
if our traditional productivity improvement rate has been maintained, the average household would have received nearly $5,500 in additional real income each year;
the decline in productivity has inflated the cost of goods and services produced in the United States relative to the goods and services of nations with higher productivity rates;
improved productivity will enhance our international competitiveness, which will expand foreign market opportunities and jobs;
productivity improvement can be restored in the United States through the application of policies and management techniques which have brought substantial productivity gains on a broad scale in other countries and in some businesses within the United States;
when adequate protections are provided, productivity improvement techniques can bring great benefits to labor as well as management; and
the United States must act immediately to reverse our productivity decline and to restore our annual productivity improvement.
Sec. 103. definitions
For purposes of this Act—
the term “Conference” means the White House Conference on Productivity;
the term “Director” means a Director of the White House Conference on Productivity who shall be appointed by the Secretary of Commerce and who shall be paid at the rate of basic pay provided for level V of the Executive Schedule pursuant to section 5316 of title 5, United States Code;
the term “productivity” means output per paid employee hour of all employees in the private sector; and
the term “State” includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Sec. 104. establishment and duties of the white house conference on productivity
The President shall conduct a White House Conference on Productivity (hereinafter referred to as the “Conference”) not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act in order to develop recommendations to stimulate the Nation’s productivity improvement rate.
For the purpose of ascertaining facts and developing recommendations concerning the improvement of productivity, the Conference shall bring together individuals who are experts in the field of productivity, employees, and representatives of business, associations, labor organizations, academic institutions, and Federal, State, and local government.
The Conference shall consider the following policy options with regard to their role in improving national productivity:
reorganization of the Federal Government so that it can best promote productivity improvement in the private and public sectors;
bringing to the attention of American businesses, labor organizations, and Government officials the benefits which result from implementing productivity improvement techniques;
improving the general training and skill level of American labor;
redirecting Government efforts to inform American businesses of foreign technological developments;
encouraging Government agencies to share with industry new discoveries and processes that improve productivity;
establishing annual Presidential awards of recognition for those businesses and industries which accomplish outstanding improvement in productivity and establishing similar awards at the State and district levels;
revising the tax laws to encourage companies to take actions to improve productivity;
reviewing the effect of the antitrust laws on efforts to improve productivity;
reviewing the patent laws to determine if changes are needed to encourage more productive use of American patents;
improving the accuracy and reliability of data gathered by the Bureau of the Census and other Government statistical collection centers which measure American productivity; and
revising Federal civil service laws to improve the productivity of Government workers and encouraging similar action at State and local levels.
Sec. 105. report of the conference
A final report of the Conference on Productivity shall be submitted to the President not later than one hundred and twenty days following the date on which the Conference is called and the findings and recommendations included therein shall be immediately made available to the public. The President shall, within one hundred
Recommendations, transmittal to Congress.
and twenty days after submission of such final report, transmit to the Congress his recommendations for the administrative action and legislation necessary to implement recommendations contained in such report with which he concurs.
Sec. 106. administration
In administering this Act, the Director shall—
request the cooperation and assistance of the Office of Management and Budget and the Departments of Labor and the Treasury and such other Federal departments and agencies as may be appropriate in carrying out the provisions of this Act;
render all reasonable assistance, including financial assistance to groups and organizations which are conducting district, State, or regional productivity conferences in preparation for the Conference;
prepare and make available background materials for the use of delegates to the Conference which are deemed necessary, and prepare and distribute any report of the Conference as may be necessary and appropriate;
engage such additional personnel as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, and without regard to chapter 51 and subchapter HI of chapter 53 of such title relating to
classification and General Schedule pay rates; and
enter into contracts only to such extent and in such
Contracts.
amounts as are provided in appropriation Acts, with organizations with particular expertise in productivity to conduct preparatory and followup work for the Conference.
Personnel engaged under subsection (a)(4) shall be compensated
Personnel.
at a rate not to exceed the rate equal to the maximum rate for GS–15 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code.
Approved October 25, 1982.