    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book II)]
    [December 21, 2006]
    [Pages 2220-2221]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Signing the National Transportation Safety Board
    Reauthorization Act of 2006
    December 21, 2006

        Today I have signed into law H.R. 5076, the ``National
    Transportation Safety Board Reauthorization Act of 2006.'' The Act
    authorizes funding for the Board and makes adjustments to its authority
    and duties.
        Section 2(a)(2) of the Act requires the Board to develop an
    operating plan for the National Transportation Safety Board Academy,
    obtain and respond to comments from a legislative agent regarding that
    plan, submit the plan to congressional committees with a description of
    modifications made in response to comments from the legislative agent,
    and then implement the plan within 2 years. The executive branch shall
    construe the provision in a manner consistent with the Constitution's
    provisions concerning the separate powers of the Congress to legislate
    and the President to execute the laws.
        The executive branch shall construe section 1113(c) of title 49,
    United States Code, as amended by section 9(f) of the Act, which relates
    to the Board's review and comment or approval of documents submitted to
    the President, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, or
    Congress, in a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of
    the President to supervise the unitary executive branch and to recommend
    for the consideration of the Congress such measures as the President
    shall judge necessary and expedient.
        The executive branch shall construe section 11(c) of the Act,
    relating to executive branch reports to the Congress concerning
    investigations of alleged criminal and fraudulent activities in
    connection with a specified project, in a manner consistent with the
    constitutional authorities of the President to supervise the unitary
    executive branch and to withhold information the disclosure of which
    could impair the performance of the Executive's constitutional duties,
    including the conduct of investigations and prosecutions to take care
    that the laws be faithfully executed.

                                                              George W. Bush

    The White House,

    December 21, 2006.

    Note: H.R. 5076, approved December 21, was assigned Public Law No. 109-
    443. An original was not available for verification of the content of
    this statement.

    [[Page 2221]]