Reading Room Document

Reorganization language of section 707(c) of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act Amendments of 1972

In this brief memo, the OLC reaffirmed an earlier opinion that § 707(c) of the 1972 Equal Employment Opportunity Act Amendments did not grant the president independent authority to effect a reorganization plan beyond the reorganization authority explicitly described in the statute. Because the authority lapsed on April 1, 1973, the president could no longer prevent the attorney general’s authority to bring “pattern or practice” employment discrimination suits from being transferred to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The OLC supported its previous determination with an analysis of the plain meaning of the statute and of limited legislative history.

January 10, 1974