    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book II)]
    [September 4, 2003]
    [Page 1091]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Signing the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003
    September 4, 2003

        Today, I have signed into law S. 1435, the ``Prison Rape Elimination
    Act of 2003.'' The Act provides for analysis of the incidence and
    effects of prison rape in Federal, State and local institutions, and for
    information, resources, recommendations and funding to protect
    individuals from prison rape. The Act also creates a National Prison
    Rape Reduction Commission.
        Section 7(h) of the Act purports to grant to the Commission a right
    of access to any Federal department or agency information it considers
    necessary to carry out its duties, and section 7(k)(3) provides for
    release of information to the public. The executive branch shall
    construe sections 7(h) and 7(k)(3) in a manner consistent with the
    President's constitutional authority to withhold information when its
    disclosure could impair deliberative processes of the Executive or the
    performance of the Executive's constitutional duties and, to the extent
    possible, in a manner consistent with Federal statutes protecting
    sensitive information from disclosure.

                                                              George W. Bush

     The White House,

     September 4, 2003.

    Note: S. 1435, approved September 4, was assigned Public Law No. 108-79.
    An original was not available for verification of the content of this
    statement.