5 February 1998

    Delivered-By-The-Graces-Of: White House Electronic Publications
    To: Public-Distribution@pub.pub.whitehouse.gov
    Date: Wed, 4 Feb 1998 15:30 -0500
    From: The White House <Publications-Admin@pub.pub.whitehouse.gov>
    Reply-To: Publications@pub.pub.whitehouse.gov
    Subject: 1998-02-04 Executive Order on Year 2000 Conversion
    Keywords: Computers, Economy, Energy, Executive-Act, Executive-Order, Foreign,
              Government, Healthcare, Infrastructure, International-Cooperation,
              Monetary-Policy, Organization, Social, Technology, Transportation
    Document-ID: pdi://oma.eop.gov.us/1998/2/4/12.text.1
    URL: http://www.pub.whitehouse.gov/uri-res/I2R?urn:pdi://oma.eop.gov.us/1998/2/4/12.text.1

                                   THE WHITE HOUSE

                            Office of the Press Secretary
    ________________________________________________________________________
    For Immediate Release                                   February 4, 1998

                                    EXECUTIVE ORDER

                                     - - - - - - -

                                  YEAR 2000 CONVERSION

        The American people expect reliable service from their Government
    and deserve the confidence that critical government functions dependent
    on electronic systems will be performed accurately and in a timely
    manner.  Because of a design feature in many electronic systems, a
    large number of activities in the public and private sectors could be
    at risk beginning in the year 2000.  Some computer systems and other
    electronic devices will misinterpret the year "00" as 1900, rather than
    2000.  Unless appropriate action is taken, this flaw, known as the "Y2K
    problem," can cause systems that support those functions to compute
    erroneously or simply not run.  Minimizing the Y2K problem will require
    a major technological and managerial effort, and it is critical that
    the United States Government do its part in addressing this challenge.

        Accordingly, by the authority vested in me as President by the
    Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby
    ordered as follows:

        Section 1.  Policy.  (a)  It shall be the policy of the executive
    branch that agencies shall:

        (1) assure that no critical Federal program experiences disruption
    because of the Y2K problem;

        (2) assist and cooperate with State, local, and tribal governments
    to address the Y2K problem where those governments depend on Federal
    information or information technology or the Federal Government is
    dependent on those governments to perform critical missions;

        (3) cooperate with the private sector operators of critical
    national and local systems, including the banking and financial system,
    the telecommunications system, the public health system, the
    transportation system, and the electric power generation system, in
    addressing the Y2K problem; and

        (4) communicate with their foreign counterparts to raise awareness
    of and generate cooperative international arrangements to address the
    Y2K problem.

        (b) As used in this order, "agency" and "agencies" refer to Federal
    agencies that are not in the judicial or legislative branches.

        Sec. 2.  Year 2000 Conversion Council.  There is hereby established
    the President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion (the "Council").

        (a)  The Council shall be led by a Chair who shall be an Assistant
    to the President, and it shall be composed of one representative from
    each of the executive departments and from such other Federal agencies
    as may be determined by the Chair of the Council (the "Chair").

        (b)  The Chair shall appoint a Vice Chair and assign other
    responsibilities for operations of the council as he or she deems
    necessary.

        (c)  The Chair shall oversee the activities of agencies to assure
    that their systems operate smoothly through the year 2000, act as chief
    spokesperson on this issue for the executive branch in national and
    international fora, provide policy coordination of executive branch
    activities with State, local, and tribal governments on the Y2K problem,
    and promote appropriate Federal roles with respect to private sector
    activities in this area.

        (d)  The Chair and the Director of the Office of Management and
    Budget shall report jointly at least quarterly to me on the progress of
    agencies in addressing the Y2K problem.

        (e)  The Chair shall identify such resources from agencies as the
    Chair deems necessary for the implementation of the policies set out in
    this order, consistent with applicable law.

        Sec. 3.  Responsibilities of Agency Heads.  (a)  The head of each
    agency shall:

        (1)  assure that efforts to address the Y2K problem receive the
    highest priority attention in the agency and that the policies
    established in this order are carried out; and

        (2)  cooperate to the fullest extent with the Chair by making
    available such information, support, and assistance, including
    personnel, as the Chair may request to support the accomplishment of
    the tasks assigned herein, consistent with applicable law.

        (b)  The heads of executive departments and the agencies designated
    by the Chair under section 2(a) of this order shall identify a
    responsible official to represent the head of the executive department
    or agency on the Council with sufficient authority and experience to
    commit agency resources to address the Y2K problem.

        Sec. 4.  Responsibilities of Interagency and Executive Office
    Councils.  Interagency councils and councils within the Executive
    Office of the President, including the President's Management Council,
    the Chief Information Officers Council, the Chief Financial Officers
    Council, the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency, the
    Executive Council on Integrity and Efficiency, the National Science and
    Technology Council, the National Performance Review, the National
    Economic Council, the Domestic Policy Council, and the National
    Security Council shall provide assistance and support to the Chair upon
    the Chair's request.

        Sec. 5.  Judicial Review.  This Executive order is intended only to
    improve the internal management of the executive branch and does not
    create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at
    law or equity by a party against the United States, its agencies, or
    instrumentalities, its officers or employees, or any other person.

           WILLIAM J. CLINTON

           THE WHITE HOUSE,
           February 4, 1998.

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