[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 52 (Monday, January 1, 2001)]
[Page 3185]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing the Assistance for International Malaria Control 
Act

December 27, 2000

    Today I am pleased to sign into law S. 2943, the ``Assistance for 
International Malaria Control Act.'' In doing so, however, I note that 
section 405(b) of the Act purports to restrict the President's 
constitutional authority to appoint ``Officers of the United States'' by 
requiring that individuals be appointed to the Pacific Charter 
Commission only ``after consultation'' with specified members of the 
Congress and by requiring that not more than four of the appointees 
``may be affiliated with the same political party.'' Because the work of 
the Commission may interfere with the constitutional authority vested in 
the President to conduct foreign affairs, the restrictions in section 
405(b) are constitutionally problematic and I therefore construe these 
restrictions to be precatory only.
                                            William J. Clinton
 The White House,
 December 27, 2000.

  Note:  S. 2943, approved December 27, was assigned Public Law No. 106-
570.