    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book II)]
    [September 30, 2003]
    [Page 1216]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Signing the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2004
    September 30, 2003

        Today I have signed into law H.R. 2657, the ``Legislative Branch
    Appropriations Act, 2004'' for the fiscal year ending September 30,
    2004, and making emergency supplemental appropriations for fiscal year
    2003.
        Section 103 of the Act establishes in the House of Representatives
    an Office of Interparliamentary Affairs. To ensure consistency with the
    President's constitutional authority to conduct the Nation's foreign
    affairs, the executive branch shall construe section 103 as assigning
    the Office functions limited to protocol and travel support for the
    House of Representatives.
        Several provisions of the Act make specified changes in statements
    of managers of the House-Senate conference committees that accompanied
    various bills reported from conference that ultimately became laws. As
    with other committee materials, statements of managers accompanying a
    conference report do not have the force of law. Accordingly, although
    changes to these statements are directed by the terms of the statute,
    the statements themselves are not legally binding.

                                                              George W. Bush

    The White House,

    September 30, 2003.

    Note: H.R. 2657, approved September 30, was assigned Public Law No. 108-
    83. An original was not available for verification of the content of
    this statement.