The following Federal units have major responsibilities in implementing the Act.

(a) Rural Development policy questions requiring resolution by the Committee on Community Development of the President's Domestic Council may be so referred by the Secretary of Agriculture, who will sit as a member and as Chairman of the Rural Development Committee.

(b) The Under Secretary of Agriculture will represent the Secretary in matters pertaining to rural development policy when such matters are of mutual concern to the Under Secretaries' Group for Regional Operations (Executive Order 11647 as amended by E.O. 11731) and the Federal Regional Councils, or at such other times that he or the Secretary may deem appropriate.

(c) The Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Development will chair an Assistant Secretaries' Working Group consisting of interdepartmental and interagency members from Agriculture, Health, Education, and Welfare, Housing and Urban Development, Defense, Labor, Commerce, Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency, Small Business Administration and others as appropriate. This working group will operate under the aegis of the Rural Development Committee of the Domestic Council. The purpose of this working group is:

(1) To develop and recommend rural development policy applicable to more than one executive department or agency.

(2) To develop cooperative procedures between and among executive departments and agencies in matters pertaining to rural development.

(3) To devise effective rural development strategies and to bring Federal resources and services to bear toward their realization.

(4) To advise the Under Secretaries' Group on involvement of Federal Regional Councils in rural development activities.

The Secretary of Agriculture may utilize the services of the Assistant Secretaries' Working Group in performing his rural development functions for the Rural Development Committee of the Domestic Council.

(d) The Administrator, Rural Development Service, under the policy direction of the Assistant Secretary for Rural Development shall coordinate rural development activities under section 603 of the Rural Development Act as directed by the Secretary. In the fulfillment of such responsibilities, he is authorized to communicate directly with other Federal department and agency officials of corresponding levels of authority and with State and Federal Regional Council officials.

(e) The Federal Regional Councils shall have primary responsibility for interagency program coordination at the field level and will provide assistance to and liaison with States in promoting rural development. Federal attention to this type of cooperation and coordination will be emphasized. In addition, the Federal Regional Councils, operating within policy determined at the Washington level, shall be responsible for performing an oversight function to assess how well the machinery is working in carrying out the Rural Development Act authorities. Each Federal Regional Council shall create an appropriate management structure to accomplish the foregoing. This may include the creation of a Rural Development Committee. The Department of Agriculture will chair such Rural Development Committees or otherwise assume the lead in managing rural development activities of the Federal Regional Councils.

(1) Procedures for the coordination of rural development activities will be consistent with the policies expressed herein and with any specific Federal guideline based on these regulations or on Executive Order 11647, as amended by Executive Order 11731.

(2) Councils shall exercise authority under Executive Order 11647, as amended by Executive Order 11731, to promote in rural areas integrated program and funding plans involving several Federal agencies.