
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 42USC4701]

 
                 TITLE 42--THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
 
             CHAPTER 62--INTERGOVERNMENTAL PERSONNEL PROGRAM
 
Sec. 4701. Congressional findings and declaration of policy

    The Congress hereby finds and declares--
    That effective State and local governmental institutions are 
essential in the maintenance and development of the Federal system in an 
increasingly complex and interdependent society.
    That, since numerous governmental activities administered by the 
State and local governments are related to national purpose and are 
financed in part by Federal funds, a national interest exists in a high 
caliber of public service in State and local governments.
    That the quality of public service at all levels of government can 
be improved by the development of systems of personnel administration 
consistent with such merit principles as--
        (1) recruiting, selecting, and advancing employees on the basis 
    of their relative ability, knowledge, and skills, including open 
    consideration of qualified applicants for initial appointment;
        (2) providing equitable and adequate compensation;
        (3) training employees, as needed, to assure high-quality 
    performance;
        (4) retaining employees on the basis of the adequacy of their 
    performance, correcting inadequate performance, and separating 
    employees whose inadequate performance cannot be corrected;
        (5) assuring fair treatment of applicants and employees in all 
    aspects of personnel administration without regard to political 
    affiliation, race, color, national origin, sex, or religious creed 
    and with proper regard for their privacy and constitutional rights 
    as citizens; and
        (6) assuring that employees are protected against coercion for 
    partisan political purposes and are prohibited from using their 
    official authority for the purpose of interfering with or affecting 
    the result of an election or a nomination for office.

    That Federal financial and technical assistance to State and local 
governments for strengthening their personnel administration in a manner 
consistent with these principles is in the national interest.

(Pub. L. 91-648, Sec. 2, Jan. 5, 1971, 84 Stat. 1909.)


                               Short Title

    Section 1 of Pub. L. 91-648 provided: ``That this Act [enacting this 
chapter and sections 3371 to 3376 of Title 5, Government Organization 
and Employees, amending section 246(f) of this title, section 1304 of 
Title 5, repealing sections 1881 to 1888 of Title 7, Agriculture, and 
section 869b of Title 20, Education, and enacting provisions set out as 
notes under section 3371 of Title 5] may be cited as the 
`Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970'.''

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in sections 4722, 4723, 4728, 4743 of 
this title.
