    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book II)]
    [October 1, 2003]
    [Page 1222]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Signing the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations
    Act, 2004
    October 1, 2003

        Today, I have signed into law H.R. 2555, the ``Department of
    Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2004.'' This is the first regular
    appropriations act for the Department of Homeland Security.
        The executive branch shall construe as calling solely for
    notification the provisions of the Act that purport to require
    congressional committee approval for the execution of a law. Any other
    construction would be inconsistent with the principles enunciated by the
    Supreme Court of the United States in 1983 in INS v. Chadha. Such
    provisions include the purported approval requirements in the
    appropriations for expenses for the development of the United States
    Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology project; customs and
    border protection automated systems; immigration and customs enforcement
    automated systems; operations, maintenance, and procurement of marine
    vessels, aircraft, and other related equipment of the air and marine
    program; expenses of the United States Secret Service; and also in
    sections 504, 511, and 516. To the extent that section 519 of the Act
    purports to allow an agent of the legislative branch to prevent
    implementation of the law unless the legislative agent reports to the
    Congress that the executive branch has met certain conditions, the
    executive branch shall construe such section as advisory, in accordance
    with the Chadha principles.

                                                              George W. Bush

     The White House,

     October 1, 2003.

    Note: H.R. 2555, approved October 1, was assigned Public Law No. 108-90.