[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 33 (Monday, August 16, 2004)]
[Page 1518]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 
2004

August 9, 2004

    Today I have signed into law H.R. 2443, the ``Coast Guard and 
Maritime Transportation Act of 2004.'' The Act authorizes appropriations 
for the United States Coast Guard, facilitates navigation and shipping, 
and strengthens the security of maritime transportation.
    To the extent that provisions of the Act, including sections 217, 
708(c)(2), and 803(c)(11), call for submission of legislative 
recommendations to the Congress, the executive branch shall construe 
such provisions in a manner consistent with the President's 
constitutional authority 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. Accordingly, the affected 
departments and agencies shall ensure that any reports or 
recommendations submitted to the Congress are subjected to appropriate 
executive branch review and approval before submission.
    To ensure consistency with the Appointments Clause of the 
Constitution, the executive branch shall construe the phrase ``if 
acceptable to the President and the Senate'' as used in section 220 of 
the Act to require nomination by the President and the advise and 
consent of the Senate for the appointments addressed by that section.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 August 9, 2004.

Note: H.R. 2443, approved August 9, was assigned Public Law No. 108-293.