[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15375]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  PRESIDENTIAL SIGNING STATEMENTS ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, on May 8, 2008, I 
introduced H.R. 5993, the Presidential Signing Statements Act. This 
bill would promote congressional and public awareness and understanding 
of Presidential signing statements. I am very pleased that next Friday 
the House Judiciary Committee will examine the issue of Presidential 
signing statements as part of a hearing on the balance of powers in our 
government.
  The history of Presidential signing statements dates back to the 19th 
century. However, on September 17, 2007, a Congressional Research 
Service report noted that U.S. presidents have increasingly employed 
these statements to assert constitutional and legal objections to 
congressional enactments.
  In doing so, Presidents sometimes communicate their intent to 
disregard certain provisions of bills they have signed into law. It is 
for this reason that I have introduced the Presidential Signing 
Statements Act. Just as the American people have access to the text of 
bills that are signed into law, they should have easy and prompt access 
to the content of Presidential signing statements that could affect how 
those the laws will be executed. To enable a more complete public 
understanding of our Nation's laws, the Congress should also be able to 
call for the executive explanation and justification for a Presidential 
signing statement.
  According to CRS, President Clinton signed 381 signing statements 
while in office. Seventy of these statements raised legal and 
constitutional objections. President George Bush has signed 157 signing 
statements, 122 of these statements contain some type of constitutional 
challenge or objections. Because future Presidents are likely to 
continue this practice, Congress should act now to pass legislation to 
ensure proper understanding and disclosure of these signing statements.
  The American Bar Association recently examined the issue of 
presidential signing statements and appointed the task force on 
presidential signing statements and the separation of powers doctrine.
  The task force issued a report urging Congress to enact legislation 
requiring the President to promptly submit to Congress an official copy 
of all signing statements he issues and to submit a congressional, to 
the Congress, a report setting forth in full the reasons and legal 
basis for this statement. The ABA also recommended that such 
submissions be available in a publicly accessible database.
  The bill that I introduced would require the President to provide 
copies of signing statements to congressional leadership within 3 days 
of being issued. Secondly, it would require signing statements to be 
published in the Federal Register; and, third, require executive staff 
to testify on the meaning and justification for Presidential signing 
statements at the request of the House or Senate Judiciary Committee; 
and, fourth, provide that no monies may be used to implement any law 
accompanied by the signing statements if any provision of the act is 
violated.
  Because it's critical that we preserve the division of power in our 
government and public understanding of our Nation's laws, I hope many 
of my colleagues will consider cosigning the Presidential Signing 
Statements Act.
  I look forward to next week's House Judiciary Committee hearing, and 
the opportunity to further discuss why this legislation is a much-
needed piece of legislation.
  Before I close, I ask God to please bless our men and women in 
uniform in Afghanistan and Iraq, and ask God to please bless the 
families of our men and women in uniform, and ask God to continue to 
bless America.

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