White House Conference on Productivity Act
PL 97-367 (H.R.7292), enacted 10/25/1982

PUBLIC LAW 97-367—OCT. 25, 1982 
96 STAT. 1761 
Public Law 97-367 
97th Congress 
An Act 
To establish a White House Ck)nference on Productivity. 
Oct. 25,1982 
[H.R. 7292] 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of 
America in Congress assembled. 
White House 
Conference on 
Productivity 
SHORT TITLE 
Act. 
SEC. 101. This Act may be cited as the "White House Conference is use 240i 
on Productivity Act". 
"°*« 
FINDINGS 
SEC. 102. The Congress finds that— 
is use 240i 
(1) the United States traditional annual productivity improve- "
°
*
®
-
ment rate of approximately 3 per centum has fallen drastically 
in recent years to a negative one-half of 1 per centum; 
(2) if our traditional productivity improvement rate has been 
maintained, the average household would have received nearly 
$5,500 in additionsd real income each year; 
(3) the decline in productivity has inflated the cost of goods 
and services produced in the United States relative to the goods 
and services of nations with higher productivity rates; 
(4) improved productivity will enhance our international com-
petitiveness, which will expand foreign market opportunities 
and jobs; 
(5) productivity improvement can be restored in the United 
States through the application of policies and management 
techniques which have brought substantial productivity gains 
on a broad scale in other countries and in some businesses 
within the United States; 
(6) when adequate protections are provided, productivity im-
provement techniques can bring great benefits to labor as well 
as management; and 
(7) the United States must act immediately to reverse our 
productivity decline and to restore our annual productivity 
improvement. 
DEFINITIONS 
SEC. 103. For purooses of this Act— 
is use 240i 
(1) the term Conference" means the White House Conference "°*^ 
on Productivity; 
(2) the term "Director" means a Director of the White House 
Conference on Productivity who shall be appointed by the Secre-
tary of Commerce and who shall be paid at the rate of basic pay 
provided for level V of the Executive Schedule pursuant to 
section 5316 of title 5, United States Code; 
(3) the term "productivity" means output per paid employee 
hour of all employees in the private sector; and 
96 STAT. 1762 
PUBLIC LAW 97-367—OCT. 25, 1982 
(4) the term "State" includes the District of Columbia, the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the 
Virgin Islands, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and 
the Northern Mariana Islands. 
15 u s e 2401 
note. 
Policy options, 
consideration. 
ESTABLISHMENT AND DUTIES OF THE WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON 
PRODUCTIVITY 
SEC. 104. (a) The President shall conduct a White House Confer-
ence on Productivity (hereinafter referred to as the "Conference") 
not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act in 
order to develop recommendations to stimulate the Nation's produc-
tivity improvement rate. 
(b) For the purpose of ascertaining facts and developing recom-
mendations concerning the improvement of productivity, the Con-
ference shall bring together individuals who are experts in the field 
of productivity, employees, and representatives of business, associ-
ations, labor organizations, academic institutions, and Federal, 
State, and local government. 
(c) The Conference shall consider the following policy options with 
regard to their role in improving national productivity: 
(1) reorganization of the Federal Government so that it can 
best promote productivity improvement in the private and 
public sectors; 
(2) bringing to the attention of American businesses, labor 
organizations, and Government officials the benefits which 
result from implementing productivity improvement tech-
niques; 
(3) improving the general training and skill level of Americsm 
labor; 
(4) redirecting (Jovemment efforts to inform American busi-
nesses of foreign technological developments; 
(5) encouraging Grovemment agencies to share with industry 
new discoveries and processes that improve productivity; 
(6) establishing annual Presidential awards of recognition for 
those businesses and industries which accomplish outstanding 
improvement in productivity and establishing similar aweirds at 
the State and district levels; 
(7) revising the tax laws to encourage companies to take 
actions to improve productivity; 
(8) reviewing the effect of the antitrust laws on efforts to 
improve productivity; 
(9) reviewing the patent laws to determine if cheuiges are 
needed to encourage more productive use of American patents; 
(10) improving the accuracy and reliability of data gathered 
by the Bureau of the Census and other Government statistical 
collection centers which measure American productivity; and 
(11) revising Federal civil service laws to improve the produc-
tivity of Government workers and encouraging similar action at 
State and local levels. 
15 u s e 2401 
note. 
REPORT OP THE CONFERENCE 
SEC. 105. A final report of the Conference on Productivity shall be 
submitted to the President not later than one hundred and twenty 
days following the date on which the Conference is called and the 
findings and recommendations included therein shall be immediately 
PUBLIC LAW 97-367—OCT. 25, 1982 
96 STAT. 1763 
made available to the public. The President shall, within one hun-
dred and twenty days after submission of such final report, transmit 
to the Congress his recommendations for the administrative action 
and legislation necessary to implement recommendations contained 
in such report with which he concurs. 
Recommendations, 
transmittal to 
Congress. 
ADMINISTRATION 
15 u s e 2401 
note. 
SEC. 106. (a) In administering this Act, the Director shall— 
(1) request the cooperation and assistance of the Office of 
Management and Budget and the Departments of Labor and the 
Treasury and such other Federal departments and agencies as 
may be appropriate in carrying out the provisions of this Act; 
(2) render all reasonable assistance, including financial assist-
ance to groups and organizations which are conducting district, 
State, or regional productivity conferences in preparation for 
the Conference; 
(3) prepare and make available background materials for the 
use of delegates to the Conference which are deemed necessary, 
and prepare and distribute any report of the Conference as may 
be necessary and appropriate; 
(4) engage such additional personnel as may be necessary to 
carry out the provisions of this Act without regard to the 
provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appoint-
ments in the competitive service, and without regard to chapter 
51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to 
classification and General Schedule pay rates; and 
(5) enter into contracts only to such extent and in such 
amounts as are provided in appropriation Acts, with organiza-
tions with particular expertise in productivity to conduct pre-
paratory and foUowup work for the Conference. 
(b) Personnel engaged under subsection (a)(4) shall be compensat- Personnel 
ed at a rate not to exceed the rate equal to the maximum rate for 
GS-15 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, United 
States Code. 
Approved October 25, 1982. 
5 u s e 5101 et 
seq., 5331. 
Contracts. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 7292: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 128 (1982): 
Oct. 1, considered and passed House and Senate. 
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 18, No. 43 (1982): 
Oct. 25, Presidential statement.