    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book II)]
    [December 20, 2006]
    [Pages 2218-2219]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Signing the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006
    December 20, 2006

        Today I have signed into law H.R. 6111, the ``Tax Relief and Health
    Care Act of 2006.'' The Act prevents tax increases that would have taken
    effect in the absence of the Act, facilitates effective use of health
    savings accounts, makes available natural resources of the outer
    continental shelf, and strengthens American laws in support of free
    trade.
        The executive branch shall construe provisions of the Act, including
    section 406(c)(2) in Division A and section 203(b) in Division B, that
    call for executive branch officials to submit legislative
    recommendations to the Congress, in a manner consistent with the
    constitutional authority of the President to supervise the unitary
    executive branch and to recommend for congressional consideration such
    measures as the President shall judge necessary and expedient.
        The executive branch shall construe as advisory provisions of the
    Act that purport to require concurrence of State officials as a
    precondition to execution of the laws, including section 415(b) of the
    Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 as amended by section
    207 in Division C and section 311(d) in Division C, as is consistent
    with the Constitution's vesting in the President of the executive power
    and the duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed.

    [[Page 2219]]

        The executive branch shall construe provisions of the Act, including
    section 4005(b) in Division D and section 213A(f) of the Caribbean Basin
    Economic Recovery Act as amended by section 5002 in Division D, that
    purport to make consultation with committees of Congress a precondition
    to execution of the law, to call for but not mandate such consultation,
    as is consistent with the Constitution's provisions concerning the
    separate powers of the Congress to legislate and the President to
    execute the laws.

                                                              George W. Bush

     The White House,

     December 20, 2006.

    Note: H.R. 6111, approved December 20, was assigned Public Law No. 109-
    432.