OCR Text |
Show 439 The order establishing these committees states, however, that none of its provisions shall-: be construed to authorize a committee chairman, a com- mittee, or its staff to execute, administer or otherwise direct any bureau activity within a region. As a further means of facilitating coordination of the activ- ities of its subordinate agencies, the Department of the Interior has required that they specify in their budget estimates the extent to which their requests for funds will or will not enable them to carry out their advance programs.231 The Relative Spheres of Federal and Nonfederal De- velopment.-The trend toward comprehensive development is complicated, as we have seen, by the distribution of federal functions among many agencies operating under a variety of largely uncoordinated statutes. Other complications arise in the event of a contest between a proposal for nonfederal devel- opment and one for federal development in the same area. departmental coordination and review of reports at the regional level; (f) Receive and interchange information pertinent to the maintenance of a pro- gram for the area; (g) Submit recommendations for effecting improvements and economies in administration; (h) Promote the settlement of differences which may occur between bureaus; and (i) Prepare annual and special re- ports as required. Order No. 2465, pp. 2-3. A Program Staff in the Secretary's Office examines all policies and pro- grams of the Department with the objective of ascertaining that "(a) they are integrated and internally consistent; (b) they constitute a full utiliza- tion of the Department's powers for carrying out the responsibilities of the Department; (c) they are appropriately related to the programs and policies of other agencies of government; and (d) they are in proper context with the current and prospective needs of the national economy." Department of the Interior Order No. 2394, December 16, 1947. A Program Committee consist- ing of representatives of each agency advises the Program Staff. Depart- ment of the Interior Order No. 2421, April 14, 1948. 231 Department of the Interior Budget and Finance Letter No. 5, March 21, 1950. The request for preliminary estimates for 1952 provided that, "Within limitations of the over-all budget policy, the bureaus and offices will be expected to take into account the program recommendations of the Field Committee in the preparation of their preliminary estimates not only with respect to their own needs but also with respect to the relation of their activities to the programs of other agencies in these areas. Each bureau and office should advise the Division of Budget and Finance of any material deviations in their estimates from the 1952 amounts of the six-year programs developed by the Field Committees and the reasons therefor." |