[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book II)]
[December 17, 2003]
[Page 1738]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Letter to Congressional Leaders Transmitting the Executive Order on 
Appointments During National Emergency
December 17, 2003

Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Dear Mr. President:)
    Consistent with section 301 of the National Emergencies Act (50 
U.S.C. 1631), I hereby report that I have taken additional steps with 
respect to the national emergency I declared in Proclamation 7463 of 
September 14, 2001, by invoking and making available to the Secretary of 
Defense the emergency appointments authority of section 603 of title 10 
of the United States Code, consistent with the terms of that statute and 
of Executive Order 12396 of December 9, 1982.
    I am enclosing a copy of the Executive Order I have issued, which is 
effective immediately.
        Sincerely,

                                                          George W. Bush

Note: Identical letters were sent to J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the 
House of Representatives, and Richard B. Cheney, President of the 
Senate. The Executive order of December 17 is listed in Appendix D at 
the end of this volume.