Executive Order 12499

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, and in order to establish, in accordance with the provisions of Section 1632 of the Department of Defense Authorization Act, 1985 (Public Law 98-525) ("the Act"), and of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App. I), a Blue Ribbon Task Group on Nuclear Weapons Program Management, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Establishment. (a) There is established the President's Blue Ribbon Task Group on Nuclear Weapons Program Management. The Task Group shall consist of seven members qualified for service by reasons of experience and education. The President shall appoint three members and shall designate one of those members to act as chairman of the Task Group. The chairman and ranking minority members of the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives will each appoint one member. (b) None of the members of the Task Group may be an employee of the Department of Defense or the Department of Energy. Sec. 2. Functions. (a) The Task Group shall examine the procedures used by the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy in establishing requirements for, and in providing resources for, the research, development, testing, production, surveillance, and retirement of nuclear weapons and shall recommend any needed change in such procedures. (b) The Task Group shall report to the President and the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives as specified in its charter but not later than July 15, 1985. The Task Group's report shall contain recommendations in the areas specified in Section 1632(e) of the Act. Sec. 3. Administration. (a) The heads of Executive agencies shall, to the extent permitted by law, provide the Task Group such information as it may require for purposes of carrying out its functions. (b) Members of the Task Group shall serve without compensation for their work on the Task Group. To the extent funds are available therefore, all members of the Task Group performing duties away from their home or regular place of business, or designated post of duty, may be allowed travel expenses, as authorized by law, including per diem in lieu of subsistence for persons serving intermittently in the government service, as provided under 5 U.S.C. 57015707. (c) The Secretary of Defense shall provide the Task Group with such administrative services, facilities, staff, and other support services as may be necessary. Any expenses of the Task Group shall be paid from such funds as may be available to the Secretary of Defense. Sec. 4. General. (a) Notwithstanding any other Executive order, the functions of the President under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, except that of reporting to the Congress, which are applicable to the Task Group, shall be performed by the Secretary of Defense, in accordance with guidelines established by the Administrator of General Services. (b) The Task Group shall terminate on September 30, 1985, unless its existence is sooner extended in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

RONALD REAGAN The White House, January 18, 1985.

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 10:53 a.m., January 22, 1985]