Year 2000 Conversion

Executive Order 13073 of February 4, 1998

Year 2000 Conversion

The American people expect reliable service from their
Government and deserve the confidence that critical
government functions dependent on electronic systems
will be performed accurately and in a timely manner.
Because of a design feature in many electronic systems,
a large number of activities in the public and private
sectors could be at risk beginning in the year 2000.
Some computer systems and other electronic devices will
misinterpret the year “00” as 1900, rather than 2000.
Unless appropriate action is taken, this flaw, known as
the “Y2K problem,” can cause systems that support
those functions to compute erroneously or simply not
run. Minimizing the Y2K problem will require a major
technological and managerial effort, and it is critical
that the United States Government do its part in
addressing this challenge.

Accordingly, by the authority vested in me as President
by the Constitution and the laws of the United States
of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Policy. (a) It shall be the policy of the
executive branch that agencies shall:

    (1) assure that no critical Federal program
experiences disruption because of the Y2K problem;
    (2) assist and cooperate with State, local, and
tribal governments to address the Y2K problem where
those governments depend on Federal information or
information technology or the Federal Government is
dependent on those governments to perform critical
missions;
    (3) cooperate with the private sector operators of
critical national and local systems, including the
banking and financial system, the telecommunications
system, the public health system, the transportation
system, and the electric power generation system, in
addressing the Y2K problem; and
    (4) communicate with their foreign counterparts to
raise awareness of and generate cooperative
international arrangements to address the Y2K problem.
    (b) As used in this order, “agency” and
“agencies” refer to Federal agencies that are not in
the judicial or legislative branches.

Sec. 2. Year 2000 Conversion Council. There is hereby
established the President's Council on Year 2000
Conversion (the “Council”).

    (a) The Council shall be led by a Chair who shall
be an Assistant to the President, and it shall be
composed of one representative from each of the
executive departments and from such other Federal
agencies as may be determined by the Chair of the
Council (the “Chair”).
    (b) The Chair shall appoint a Vice Chair and assign
other responsibilities for operations of the council as
he or she deems necessary.
    (c) The Chair shall oversee the activities of
agencies to assure that their systems operate smoothly
through the year 2000, act as chief spokesperson on
this issue for the executive branch in national and
international fora, provide policy coordination of
executive branch activities with State, local, and
tribal governments on the Y2K problem, and promote
appropriate Federal roles with respect to private
sector activities in this area.

    (d) The Chair and the Director of the Office of
Management and Budget shall report jointly at least
quarterly to me on the progress of agencies in
addressing the Y2K problem.
    (e) The Chair shall identify such resources from
agencies as the Chair deems necessary for the
implementation of the policies set out in this order,
consistent with applicable law.

Sec. 3. Responsibilities of Agency Heads. (a) The head
of each agency shall:

    (1) assure that efforts to address the Y2K problem
receive the highest priority attention in the agency
and that the policies established in this order are
carried out; and
    (2) cooperate to the fullest extent with the Chair
by making available such information, support, and
assistance, including personnel, as the Chair may
request to support the accomplishment of the tasks
assigned herein, consistent with applicable law.
    (b) The heads of executive departments and the
agencies designated by the Chair under section 2(a) of
this order shall identify a responsible official to
represent the head of the executive department or
agency on the Council with sufficient authority and
experience to commit agency resources to address the
Y2K problem.

Sec. 4. Responsibilities of Interagency and Executive
Office Councils. Interagency councils and councils
within the Executive Office of the President, including
the President's Management Council, the Chief
Information Officers Council, the Chief Financial
Officers Council, the President's Council on Integrity
and Efficiency, the Executive Council on Integrity and
Efficiency, the National Science and Technology
Council, the National Performance Review, the National
Economic Council, the Domestic Policy Council, and the
National Security Council shall provide assistance and
support to the Chair upon the Chair's request.

Sec. 5. Judicial Review. This Executive order is
intended only to improve the internal management of the
executive branch and does not create any right or
benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law
or equity by a party against the United States, its
agencies, or instrumentalities, its officers or
employees, or any other person.

    (Presidential Sig.)

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    February 4, 1998.