Executive Order 11776

The President's Committee on Mental Retardation, established by Executive Order No. 11280 on May 11, 1966, has mobilized national planning and carried out basic programs in the field of mental retardation. National goals have been established to reduce the occurrence of mental retardation by one-half before the end of the century and to return one-third of the people in mental institutions to useful lives in their communities. The achievement of these goals will require the most effective possible use of public and private resources.

Our country has become increasingly aware in recent years of the need to assure those who are retarded their full status as citizens under the law, and of the continuing need to mobilize the support of the general public and of specialized professional and volunteer groups for mental retardation activities. We also know that we must constantly evaluate existing programs to determine their adequacy and must continually consider a broad range of proposals for new mental retardation activities.

, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows:

 Section 1 .Committee Continued and Responsibilities Expanded.


 * The President's Committee on Mental Retardation (hereinafter referred to as the Committee), with expanded membership and expanded responsibilities, is hereby continued in operation.

 Sec. 2 .Composition of Committee.


 * The Committee shall be composed of the following members:

 Sec. 3 .Functions of the Committee.

 Sec. 4 .Cooperation by Other Agencies.


 * To assist the Committee in providing advice to the President, Federal departments and agencies requested to do so by the Committee shall designate liaison officers with the Committee. Such officers shall, on request by the Committee, and to the extent permitted by law, provide it with information on department and agency programs which do contribute to or which could contribute to achievement of the President's goals in the field of mental retardation.

 Sec. 5 .Administrative Arrangements.

 Sec. 6 .Construction.


 * Nothing in this order shall be construed as subjecting any Federal agency, or any function vested by law in, or assigned pursuant to law to, any Federal agency, to the authority of the Committee or as abrogating or restricting any such function in any manner.

 Sec. 7 .


 * Executive Order No. 11280 of May 11, 1966, is hereby superseded.

, March 28, 1974.