From President Jimmy Carter's Press Release upon the transmittal to Congress of Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978, creating FEMA: "Today I am transmitting Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978. The Plan improves Federal emergency management and assistance. By consolidating emergency preparedness, mitigation 48 White House. Federal Emergency Management Agency Nomination of John W. Macy, Jr., To Be Director. Washington, DC: The White House, May 3, 1979. and response activities, it cuts duplicative administrative costs and strengthens our ability to deal effectively with emergencies. For the first time, key emergency management and assistance functions would be unified and made directly accountable to the President and Congress. The present situation has severely hampered Federal support of State and local emergency organizations and resources, which bear the primary responsibility for preserving life and property in times of calamity. This reorganization has been developed in close cooperation with State and local governments?. This reorganization rests on several fundamental principles. First, Federal authorities to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to major civil emergencies should be supervised by one official responsible to the President and given attention by other officials at the highest levels?. Second, an effective civil defense system requires the most efficient use of all available emergency resources. At the same time, civil defense systems, organization, and resources must be prepared to cope with any disasters which threaten our people?.Consolidation of civil defense functions in the new Agency will assure that attack readiness programs are effectively integrated into the preparedness organizations and programs of State and local government, private industry, and volunteer organizations. While serving an important 'all-hazards' readiness and response role, civil defense must continue to be fully compatible with and be ready to play an important role in our Nation's overall strategic policy. Accordingly, to maintain a link between our strategic nuclear planning and our nuclear attack preparedness planning, I will make the Secretary of Defense and the National Security Council responsible for oversight of civil defense related programs and policies of the new Agency?. Third, whenever possible, emergency responsibilities should be extensions of the regular missions of Federal agencies. The primary task of the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be to coordinate and plan for emergency deployment of resources that have other routine uses. There is no need to develop a separate set of Federal skills and capabilities for those rare occasions when catastrophe occurs. Fourth, Federal hazard mitigation activities should be closely linked with emergency preparedness and response functions?. Most State and local governments have consolidated emergency planning, preparedness and response functions on an 'all hazard' basis to take advantage of the similarities in preparing for and responding to the full range of potential emergencies. The Federal Government can and should follow this lead". (White House, FEMA and the President's Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978, June 19, 1978)