This report for Congress covers a number of fundamental but controversial issues relating to the overall objectives, direction, and pace of the equal employment opportunity (EEO) program for federal employees and job applicants, including some recommendations. The content is presented in nine chapters. The first is an introduction covering legislative background, affirmative action planning, and the scope of this report. Chapter 2 on the need to resolve fundamental issues on direction and pace of EEO programs briefly discusses some basic problems, including basic purpose of EEO, intended beneficiaries, efforts versus results, and goals versus quotas. In the third chapter, focus is on female and minority hiring, including statistical information regarding women and minorities in the federal work force and barriers to EEO progress. Chapter 4 discusses program organization and resources, while the next chapter covers setting affirmative action plan employment goals. Chapter 6 on submission, review, and approval of affirmative action plans focuses on the timeliness of submitting and reviewing plans, the need for improved Civil Service Commission (CSC) guidance, and the need for revising review practices. Recruitment efforts and problems are covered in the seventh chapter and EEO program evaluation is the topic of chapter 8. The concluding chapter presents the problems in evaluating EEO programs. (EM)