Auto Industry Committee Appointment of 14 Members to the Executive Committee.

President Jimmy Carter
September 8, 1980

The President today announced the appointment of 14 business, labor, and Government leaders to the Executive Committee of the President's Auto Industry Committee.

The Auto Industry Committee is being created as part of the President's program to help revitalize the domestic auto industry. The Committee will be responsible for developing an ongoing Government-business-labor partnership to expand employment, productivity, and sales in the domestic auto industry. The Committee will be chaired by Neil Goldschmidt, Secretary of Transportation.

The Executive Committee will act as the focal point for a continuing review of issues fundamental to the health and vitality of the U.S. industry. It will set the agenda for the Auto Industry Committee, develop specific proposals to strengthen the domestic auto industry, and make recommendations for action to the President's Economic Policy Group.

The Auto Industry Committee also will have task forces to consider proposals in areas such as plant location, worker adjustment, and community impact; international competitiveness; regulations; capital needs; investment incentives and tax policy; research and technology; and trade. The Auto Industry Committee also will work regularly with a bipartisan congressional consultative committee.

The members of the Executive Committee will hold an organizational meeting in Detroit on Wednesday, September 10, 1980. The first meeting of the Executive Committee will be scheduled later this month.

The members of the Executive Committee named by the President are:

NEIL GOLDSCHMIDT, Secretary of Transportation (Chairman);

JAMES BERE, chairman of the board, Borg-Warner;

PETER BOMMARITO, international president, United Rubber Workers;

PHILIP CALDWELL, chairman of the board, Ford Motor Co.;

DOUGLAS FRASER, president, United Auto Workers;

LEE IACOCCA, chairman of the board, Chrysler Corp.;

GEORGE IRVIN, president, National Automobile Dealers Association;

PHILIP KLUTZNICK, Secretary of Commerce (ex officio) ;

RAY MARSHALL, Secretary of Labor (ex officio ) ;

LLOYD McBRIDE, international president, United Steel Workers;

JAMES W. McLERNON, president and chief executive officer, Volkswagen of America;

GERALD MEYERS, chairman of the board, American Motors;

THOMAS A. MURPHY, chairman of the board, General Motors;

ESTHER PETERSON, Special Assistant to the President for Consumer Affairs (ex officio).