This category primarily contains materials pertaining to short term task forces established by the President to study, evaluate, and prepare advisory reports relating to specific subjects. The largest portion of materials in this category concerns task forces, which were appointed by President-elect Richard Nixon in late 1968, or early January 1969, and had finished their work by late 1970. Also found in this category are materials relating to Johnson administration task forces; task forces established or revived by President Nixon; federal government agency task forces; proposed task forces; and task forces established outside of the federal government. Documents concerning the endorsements and appointments of task force officials are subdivided by a (/) and a letter "A" to designate appointment papers. Primary correspondents include President Nixon, Arthur Burns, John Ehrlichman, Peter Flanigan, Daniel Moynihan and Charles Clapp. Related materials may be found in the Federal Government (FG) subject file category, which include categories for individual White House Staff members (FG 6-11) and Federal government and executive agencies, organizations, councils, and commissions.
The Executive files contain correspondence of the President and White House staff with task force members; government agency, state and local officials; members of Congress; and representatives of private industry, professional, religious and public interest organizations. This category includes Presidential letters to task force members, Presidential speech drafts and statements, and White House press releases. Also found in this category are lists of task force chairmen and members, meetings minutes, progress reports, handwritten notes, routing slips, and cross-reference cards. Many of the correspondence and memoranda relate to the establishment of task forces, appointment recommendations, proposals for new task forces, and analyses of task force recommendations. In addition to the subjects listed in the numerical file, category described below, the Executive file category includes, materials relating to task forces on manpower policy, surplus federal property, the environment, aerospace, national land use and urban growth, the law of the sea, the Bicentennial, and the President's federal design program. A few of the materials concern Johnson administration task force reports on telecommunications policy, government organization, and the education of gifted persons.
The General files contain correspondence of the President and White House staff with task force members; federal, state and local government officials; members of Congress; representatives of private industry, professional, religious, and public interest organizations; librarians; and the general public. This category includes memoranda, correspondence, routing slips, handwritten notes, draft, and published copies of reports and cross-reference cards. Materials in this category mainly concern requests for and comments regarding task force reports, proposals for new task forces, and appointment recommendations.
The numerical files which follow the Executive and General files contain materials relating to specific subjects. These files are further subdivided into Executive and General categories. Like the Executive and General files, the numerical files include correspondence from the President and White House staff with task force members; federal, state and local government officials; members of Congress; representatives of private industry, professional, religious and public interest organizations; librarians, and the general public. There is material concerning the establishment of task forces, selection of members, publications and contents of the reports, and request for new task forces. Among the documents found in the category are drafts and published task force reports, correspondence, memoranda, routing slips, handwritten notes, cross-reference cards, news clippings, and telegrams.
The Executive category in the numerical files includes analyses of task force report recommendations by White House staff members, the Office of Management and Budget, and other federal government agencies. The General category in the numerical files includes correspondence from the general public and other interested parties relating to controversial recommendations found in various task force reports.
Many of the numerical files for 1971-72 are empty. There are no numerical files for 1973-74. Some of the more substantive file categories are described below. Information about all of the task force subjects in the numerical files may be found in the folder title list.
Materials in the Space (FG 221-18) category concern a report by the Space Task Group on space programs and budget reductions in the post-Apollo era. Included about the report is a Presidential statement, an assessment by the Office of Management and Budget, and news media reaction. The category includes correspondence concerning American/Soviet cooperation in space. Related material may be found in categories for Communications Satellites (UT 1), House Committee on Science and Aeronautics [Astronautics] (FG 33-17), Meteorological Rockets and Satellites (SC 2-3), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (FG 164), National Aeronautics and Space Council (FG 6-4), Office of Science and Technology (FG 6-9), Sciences (SC), and Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences (FG 36-1)
The category for Oil Import Controls and Oil Import Program (FG 221-22) concerns the Cabinet Task Force on Oil Import Control and the subsequent Mandatory Oil Import Program. Included in the category are correspondence of the President and task force director Phillip Areeda, Presidential speeches, White House press releases, and summaries and published copies of the task force report. Suggestions and comments from the Small Business Administration, the Office of Science and Technology, various White House staff members, members of Congress, and representatives of oil, gas, coal and utility companies concerning topics such as the qualifications of task force members, the Charles River Associates report, the task force report, the problem of small refiners, a national energy policy, and news media reports are found in the files. Related materials may be found in the categories for the Office of Oil and Gas (FG 19-13), Oil Imports Administration (FG 19-4), Oil Policy Committee (FG 276), Economic Controls (BE 3), Petroleum and Coal Products (BE 4-29), and Oil Resources (NR 6).
The Lumber category (FG 221-24) includes materials relating to the report of the Cabinet Committee Economic Task Force on Softwood, Lumber and Plywood, concerning S.1832, the proposed National Timber Supply Act of 1969. Found in this category are comments and suggestions concerning the task force report by White House staff members and the Departments of Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, Presidential statements, and White House press releases. The correspondence from members of Congress, lumber industry and environmental groups mainly concerns the recommendations of the task force to import more wood and cut more plywood from the national forests. Related materials may be found in the categories for Industry - Lumber and Wood Products (BE 4-24), Commodities (CM/Timber), Lumber and Wood Products (CM 24) and National Forest (NR 3).
The category for International Development (FG 221-30) contains materials about the proposed International Development Council and the task force report concerning United States foreign assistance in the 1970's. Copies of the report and a working paper on world population prepared for the task force by the Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, are found in these files. Related materials may be found in the categories for the Council on International Economic Policy (FG 6-22), and the National Advisory Council on International Monetary and Finance Policies (FG 161).
A large portion of the Problems of the Mentally Handicapped (FG 221-47) category concerns public reaction to a statement about abortion in the task force report "Action Against Disability," (May 1970). The category includes letters and telegrams from the general public, handicapped advocates and providers, representatives of professional and religious organizations, and members of Congress, with White House staff replies. An evaluation of the report by the Office of Management and Budget and a printed copy of the report are found in the files. Related material may be found in the categories for Mental Disorders (HE 1-5), Abortion (WE 3), and the President's Committee on Mental Retardation (FG 200).
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