    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book II)]
    [December 1, 2003]
    [Page 1659]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Signing the Energy and Water Development Appropriations
    Act, 2004
    December 1, 2003

        Today, I have signed into law H.R. 2754, the ``Energy and Water
    Development Appropriations Act, 2004.'' The Act funds programs of the
    Department of Energy, the Department of the Interior's Bureau of
    Reclamation, the Army Corps of Engineers, and several other agencies,
    and provides funds to help protect the Nation's environment.
        The executive branch shall construe provisions of the Act that
    direct the Secretary of a military department to perform the Secretary's
    duties through a particular military officer in a manner consistent with
    the statutory authority of the Secretary of Defense to exercise
    authority, direction, and control of the Department of Defense and the
    constitutional authority of the President to supervise the unitary
    executive branch and as Commander in Chief.
        Provisions in sections 209 and 303 and under the heading
    ``Construction, General'' in title I purport to require the approval of
    committees of the Congress before executive branch execution of aspects
    of the Act or to preclude executive branch execution of a provision of
    the Act upon the written disapproval of such a committee. The executive
    branch shall construe such provisions to require only notification to
    the Congress, as any other construction would contravene the
    constitutional principles set forth by the Supreme Court in INS v.
    Chadha.

                                                              George W. Bush

     The White House,

     December 1, 2003.

    Note: H.R. 2754, approved December 1, was assigned Public Law No. 108-
    137.