Title 15 › Chapter CHAPTER 21— - NATIONAL POLICY ON EMPLOYMENT AND PRODUCTIVITY › § 1022a
The President must put medium-term numeric goals into every Economic Report after October 27, 1978, and include in the Budget filed right before each Report the programs and policies needed to reach those goals, to get a balanced Federal budget, and to move quickly toward reasonable price stability. The first three Economic Reports (and later Reports unless changed) must include interim five-year targets to cut unemployment to no more than 3 percent for people aged 20 and over and 4 percent for people aged 16 and over, to cut inflation to no more than 3 percent, and to bring Federal spending down to 21 percent or less of gross national product by 1981 and to 20 percent or less by 1983 (or the lowest level consistent with national needs). Plans to cut inflation or Federal spending must not get in the way of reducing unemployment. After the unemployment targets are met, future Reports must aim for full employment and a balanced budget. After the inflation target is met, future Reports must aim for zero inflation by 1988. After the Federal-spending target is met, future Reports must keep spending at 20 percent of GNP or less if possible. In the second Report after October 27, 1978, the President must review progress, tell Congress what is working and what is not, and, if needed, recommend changes to the goals or timetables. If unemployment rises above the targets after they have been met, the next Report must set a goal to return to the target within five years (counting the Report year as year one), unless the President recommends a different timetable. Efforts to cut unemployment must try to reduce unfair gaps for youth, women, minorities, people with disabilities, veterans, middle-aged and older persons, and other groups. The Secretary of Labor must act where practical, study the problems, give annual recommendations to the President, and advise Congress as needed. Middle-aged and older persons means people 45 years or older; “veteran” is as defined in title 38, section 4211(1) or (2).
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Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
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15 U.S.C. § 1022a
Title 15 — Commerce and Trade
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73