White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card's memo on hiring controls

January 20, 2001 MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS AND ACTING HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

FROM: ANDREW H. CARD, JR.
Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff

SUBJECT: Government Hiring Controls

The President has asked me to communicate to each of you his plan for managing the Federal employment process at the outset of his Administration. As you know, during the campaign, the President expressed his desire to make Government more responsive to the needs of citizens, more efficient, and more accountable. The President articulated his view of an effective Federal Government -- one that is citizen-centered, results-oriented, and characterized by quality of service. To help meet these important goals, the President proposed, among other things, to flatten the Federal hierarchy by redistributing positions and resources from high-level managerial positions to front-line, service delivery jobs.

In order to ensure that, from the start of this Administration, the President's appointees have the opportunity to make personnel decisions consistent with his goals for Government reform, he asks that you institute the hiring control procedures described below.

Effective immediately, no decision relating to hiring shall be made unless and until such decision is reviewed and approved by a department or agency head appointed by the President after noon on January 20, 2001. The depart-ment or agency head may delegate this power of review and approval consistent with applicable law. These procedures are sub-ject to such exceptions as the Director or Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget (the "OMB") may grant as necessary to ensure the operation of essential Government functions, such as those affecting safety, health, or national security, and the provision of essential Government services, such as the delivery of social security or veterans benefits.

For the longer term, every agency head will be instructed to develop a plan to permit the agency to meet the President's goal of reducing management ranks. This plan will be developed in cooperation with the Director or Acting Director of OMB.

The actions described in paragraph 1 should be taken in accordance with law, including, but not limited to, statutes setting minimum hiring levels and appropriating funding for such hiring.

The use of contracts with nongovernmental entities or persons as a means of avoiding the procedures described in paragraph 1 is not an acceptable practice.

The actions described in paragraph 1 do not apply to appointments made with the approval of the Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel and Deputy to the Chief of Staff.

All independent agencies are encouraged to adopt the foregoing hiring controls.

The Director or Acting Director of OMB will issue any necessary specifics regarding the procedures described in paragraph 1.

I appreciate your cooperation. Together, with prompt and diligent implementation of this memorandum, we can begin to work toward the President's goal of ensuring that his Administration serves the American public in the most efficient and responsible manner possible.