    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book I)]
    [May 25, 2006]
    [Page 1017]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Memorandum on Handling of Materials Held by the Department of Justice
    Following Execution of a Search Warrant
    May 25, 2006

    Memorandum for the Attorney General and the Solicitor General of the
    United States
    Subject: Handling of Materials Held by the Department of Justice
    Following Execution of a Search Warrant
        After taking appropriate account of the respective constitutional
    functions of the House of Representatives and of the executive branch,
    including important law enforcement interests, the protections afforded
    those functions under the Constitution, and the need for comity between
    the executive and legislative branches in the service of the American
    people, I direct that, with respect to the materials taken pursuant to
    the warrant dated May 18, 2006, and captioned ``In the Matter of the
    Search of Rayburn House Office Building Room Number 2113,'' including
    any copies thereof or items derived in whole or in part therefrom:
        (1) The Attorney General, acting through the Solicitor General of
    the United States who shall for this purpose be subject to no
    supervision by any officer of the Department of Justice other than the
    Attorney General, shall (a) preserve and seal the materials, (b) ensure
    that no use is made of the materials, and (c) ensure that no person has
    access to the materials, except that Office of the Solicitor General
    personnel under the direct supervision of the Solicitor General may have
    the minimum physical access to the materials essential to the
    preservation of the materials.
        (2) The Attorney General shall endeavor, and the House of
    Representatives is respectfully encouraged to endeavor, to resolve any
    issues relating to the materials through discussions between them in
    good faith and with mutual institutional respect and, if it should prove
    necessary after exhaustion of such discussions, through appropriate
    proceedings in the courts of the United States.
        The Attorney General shall keep me informed of discussions to which
    this memorandum refers and proceedings relating to the materials. This
    memorandum shall expire on July 9, 2006.

                                                              George W. Bush

        cc: The Speaker of the House of Representatives

    Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of
    this memorandum.