White House Task Force on Middle-Class Working Families

Memorandum of January 30, 2009

White House Task Force on Middle-Class Working
Families

Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and
Agencies

For many years, middle-class Americans have been
working harder, yet not enjoying their fair share of
the fruits of a growing economy. While the productivity
of the American workforce grew during the decade ending
in 2007, middle-income workers saw their real incomes
fall. The current economic situation has exacerbated
the challenges facing middle-class Americans, with
health care coverage, safe and steady employment
opportunities, effective and affordable education,
owning a home, and saving for retirement slipping out
of reach. It is a high priority of my Administration to
achieve a secure future for middle-class working
families, one in which they share in prosperous times
and are cushioned during hard times. To these ends, I
hereby direct the following:

Section 1. White House Task Force on Middle-Class
Working Families. There is established within the
Office of the Vice President, a White House Task Force
on Middle-Class Working Families (Task Force) to focus
on raising the living standards of middle-class working
families in the United States of America. The Vice
President shall serve as Chair of the Task Force.

(a) Membership of the Task Force. In addition to the
Vice President, the Task Force shall consist
exclusively of the heads of the executive branch
departments, agencies, and offices listed below:

(1) the Department of Commerce;
(2) the Department of Labor;
(3) the Department of Health and Human Services;
(4) the Department of Education;
(5) the Office of Management and Budget;
(6) the National Economic Council;
(7) the Domestic Policy Council;
(8) the Council of Economic Advisers; and
(9) such other executive branch departments,
agencies, or offices as the President may designate.

A member of the Task Force may designate, to perform
the Task Force functions of the member, any person who
is a part of the member's department, agency, or
office, and who is a full-time officer or employee of
the Federal Government. At the direction of the Chair,
the Task Force may establish subgroups consisting
exclusively of Task Force members or their designees
under this section, as appropriate.

(b) Administration of the Task Force. The Department of
Labor shall provide funding and administrative support
for the Task Force to the extent permitted by law and
within existing appropriations. The Vice President
shall designate an Executive Director of the Task
Force, who shall coordinate the work of the Task Force.

Sec. 2. Mission and Functions of the Task Force. The
Task Force shall work with a wide array of executive
departments and agencies that have responsibility for
key issues facing middle-class working families,
expedite

administrative reforms, propose Executive Orders, and
develop legislative and policy proposals that can be of
special importance to middle-class working families.
The functions of the Task Force are advisory only and
shall include, but shall not be limited to, producing a
detailed set of recommendations to:

(a) expand education and lifelong training
opportunities;
(b) improve work and family balance;
(c) restore labor standards, including workplace
safety;
(d) protect the incomes of middle-class working
families; and
(e) protect retirement security.

Sec. 3. Outreach. Consistent with the objectives set
out in section 2 of this memorandum, the Task Force, in
accordance with applicable law, in addition to regular
meetings, shall conduct outreach with representatives
of labor, business, nonprofit organizations, State and
local government agencies, and other interested persons
that will assist with the Task Force's development of a
detailed set of recommendations.

Sec. 4. Transparency and Reports. The Task Force shall
facilitate the posting on the Internet of submissions
by outside parties and engage in an open, two-way
dialogue with the American people. The Task Force shall
present to the President annual reports, beginning 1
year from the date of this memorandum, on its findings
and recommendations, which shall be made available to
the public and posted on the Internet.

Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) The heads of executive
departments and agencies shall assist and provide
information to the Task Force, consistent with
applicable law, as may be necessary to carry out the
functions of the Task Force. Each executive department
and agency shall bear its own expense for participating
in the Task Force.

(b) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to
impair or otherwise affect:

(i) authority granted by law to an executive
department, agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) functions of the Director of the Office of
Management and Budget relating to budgetary,
administrative, or legislative proposals.

(c) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent
with applicable law and subject to the availability of
appropriations.

(d) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not,
create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by any party against
the United States, its departments, agencies, or
entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.

Sec. 6. Publication. The Secretary of Labor is
authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in
the Federal Register.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

Washington, January 30, 2009