From the Desk of the President
A recent executive document or action from the President of the United States as released by the Press Secretary

                            THE WHITE HOUSE

                     Office of the Press Secretary
                        (Palo Alto, California)

For Immediate Release                                        May 1, 1998

                              May 1, 1998

MEMORANDUM FOR HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

SUBJECT:   Designation of Interagency Committees to Facilitate and 
           Encourage Agency Use of Alternate Means of Dispute 
           Resolution and Negotiated Rulemaking


As part of an effort to make the Federal Government operate in a more
efficient and effective manner, and to encourage, where possible,
consensual resolution of disputes and issues in controversy involving 
the United States, including the prevention and avoidance of disputes, 
I have determined that each Federal agency must take steps to:  
(1) promote greater use of mediation, arbitration, early neutral 
evaluation, agency ombuds, and other alternative dispute resolution 
techniques, and (2) promote greater use of negotiated rulemaking.

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and laws 
of the United States including sections 569(a) and 573(c) of title 5, 
United States Code, as amended by the Administrative Dispute Resolution 
Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-320), I hereby direct as follows:

An Alternative Dispute Resolution Working Group, comprised of the 
Cabinet Departments and, as determined by the Attorney General, such 
other agencies with a significant interest in dispute resolution, shall 
be convened and is designated under 5 U.S.C. 573(c) as the interagency 
committee to facilitate and encourage agency use of alternative means 
of dispute resolution.  The Working Group shall consist of 
representatives of the heads of all participating agencies, and may 
meet as a whole or in subgroups of agencies with an interest in 
particular issues or subject areas, such as disputes involving 
personnel, procurement, and claims.  The Working Group shall be 
convened by the Attorney General, who may designate a representative 
to convene and facilitate meetings of the subgroups.  The Working Group 
shall facilitate, encourage, and provide coordination for agencies in 
such areas as:  (1) development of programs that employ alternative 
means of dispute resolution, (2) training of agency personnel to 
recognize when and how to use alternative means of dispute resolution,
(3) development of procedures that permit agencies to obtain the 
services of neutrals on an expedited basis, and (4) recordkeeping to 
ascertain the benefits of alternative means of dispute resolution.  The 
Working Group shall also periodically advise the President, through the 
Director of the Office of Management and Budget, on its activities.

The Regulatory Working Group established under section 4(d) of 
Executive Order 12866 is designated under 5 U.S.C. 569(a) as the 
interagency committee to facilitate and encourage agency use of 
negotiated rulemaking.

This directive is for the internal management of the executive branch 
and does not create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable by a party against the United States, its agencies or
instrumentalities, its officers or employees, or any other person.

                              WILLIAM J. CLINTON

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