[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 41 (Monday, October 16, 2006)]
[Page 1815]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing the National Heritage Areas Act of 2006

October 12, 2006

    Today, I have signed into law S. 203, the ``National Heritage Areas 
Act of 2006.'' The Act establishes national heritage areas and reduces 
the royalty rate on certain minerals.
    A number of provisions of the Act purport to give to management 
entities or local coordinating entities, composed of individuals who are 
not officers of the United States appointed in accordance with the 
Appointments Clause of the Constitution, significant governmental 
authority, such as authority to make grants from Federal appropriated 
funds to implement management plans for heritage areas. As is consistent 
with the Appointments Clause and with requirements in the Act concerning 
approval by the Secretary of the Interior of the management plans, the 
executive branch shall construe the provisions to require exercise by 
the Secretary of the Interior of the significant governmental authority 
given by the provisions, specifically including the exercise by the 
Secretary of final authority over any disbursement of Federal 
appropriated funds by a management entity or local coordinating entity.
                                                George W. Bush
The White House,
October 12, 2006.

Note: This statement was released by the Office of the Press Secretary 
on October 13. S. 203, approved October 12, was assigned Public Law No. 
109-338.