[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 41 (Monday, October 20, 2008)]
[Pages 1345-1346]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing the Inspector General Reform Act of 2008

October 14, 2008

    Today I have signed into law H.R. 928, the ``Inspector General 
Reform Act of 2008.'' The Act amends various authorities related to 
Federal Inspectors General.
    Section 6 of the bill gives Inspectors General the right to obtain 
legal advice from lawyers working for an Inspector General. It is 
important that Inspectors General have timely and accurate legal advice. 
It is also important that agencies have structures through which to 
reach a single, final authoritative determination for the agency of what 
the law is. This determination is subject to the authority of the 
Attorney General with respect to legal questions within, and the 
President's authority to supervise, the executive branch and, of course, 
the courts in specific cases or controversies. To this end, the ``rule 
of

[[Page 1346]]

construction'' in section 6 ensures that, within each agency, the 
determinations of the law remain ultimately the responsibility of the 
chief legal officer and the head of the agency.
    Section 8 of the bill includes provisions that purport to direct or 
regulate the content of the President's budget submissions, including 
provisions that purport to direct the President to include the comments 
of Inspectors General with respect to those submissions. The President's 
budget submissions are recommendations for enactment of legislation 
appropriating funds. The executive branch shall construe section 8 of 
the bill in a manner consistent with the President's constitutional 
authority to recommend for congressional consideration such measures as 
the President shall judge necessary and expedient.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 October 14, 2008.