[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 52 (Monday, January 2, 2006)]
[Pages 1920-1921]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing the Departments of Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006

December 30, 2005

    Today, I have signed into law H.R. 3010, the ``Departments of Labor, 
Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Act, 2006.'' This Act appropriates funds for key domestic 
programs, including programs to protect America's workers, help educate 
America's youth, and guard Americans against potential bioterrorism or 
epidemics.
    The executive branch shall construe certain provisions of the Act 
that purport to require congressional committee approval for the 
execution of a law as calling solely for notification, as any other 
construction would be inconsistent with the constitutional principles 
enunciated by the Supreme Court of the United States in INS v. Chadha. 
These

[[Page 1921]]

provisions include sections 103, 208, and language under the heading 
``Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Fund.''
    The executive branch shall construe provisions in the Act that 
purport to mandate or regulate submission of information to the Congress 
in a manner consistent with the President's constitutional authority to 
withhold information that could impair foreign relations, national 
security, the deliberative processes of the Executive, or the 
performance of the Executive's constitutional duties. Such provisions 
include language under the heading ``Department of Health and Human 
Services, Office of the Secretary, General Departmental Management.''
    Certain provisions of the Act relate to race, ethnicity, or gender. 
The executive branch shall construe such provisions in a manner 
consistent with the requirement that the Federal Government afford equal 
protection of the laws under the Due Process Clause of the Fifth 
Amendment to the Constitution.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 December 30, 2005.

Note: At the time of publication, H.R. 3010, approved December 30, had 
not been received by the Office of the Federal Register for assignment 
of a Public Law number. An original was not available for verification 
of the content of this statement.