94. Memorandum From the Director of the United States Information Agency (Reinhardt) to all USIA Employees1
President Carter today sent to the Congress Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1977.2 In essence, this Plan consolidates the functions now carried out by USIA and the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs into a new agency to be known as the Agency for International Communication. The Plan and the President’s accompanying Message are being sent to all posts via the Wireless File, together with a collection of questions and answers. I want to point out that the Congress has 60 legislative working days in which to consider the President’s Plan. If the Congress does not specifically vote the Plan down within this time period, the Plan automatically becomes law. Because of uncertainty as to when the current session of Congress will be adjourned, we cannot know at this time precisely when the 60 legislative working days will expire or, should the Plan become law, precisely when the new agency would be established. At best, the latter is several months into the future. We shall be calling on many of you to assist us in planning the details of the proposed new agency, should it come into being. In the meantime, I trust all of you will remember that there is a job to be done and that you will carry out your responsibilities with a renewed sense of purpose and dedication. I also encourage you to look upon the President’s proposal as a challenging opportunity for the future. We shall keep you as fully informed as possible over the next few months. We shall be delighted to answer inquiries to the best of our ability.
- Source: National Archives, RG 306, USIA Historical Collection, Subject Files, 1953–2000, Entry A–1 1066, Box 43, United States International Communications Agency Reorganization, 1977–1978. No classification marking. Distributed to all USIA employees in the United States and overseas.↩
- See Document 93.↩