Why don't we use signing statements?

[Joanne98]

List of Signing Statements
issued by
George W. Bush


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| 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |

PDF FILE


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Signing
Statement
Number Text of Affected Law
(from the GPO) Text of Signing Statement
(from the GPO)
2001
2001-01 S.J. Res. 6, providing for congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by the Dept of Labor (P.L. 107-5) 37 WCPD 477 (March 26, 2001)

2001-02
S. 700 , the "Animal Disease Risk Assessment, Prevention, and Control Act of 2001" (P.L. 107-9)
37 WCPD 804 (May 28, 2001)

2001-03 H.R. 1696, a bill to expedite the construction of the World War II memorial in the District of Columbia (P.L. 107-11)
37 WCPD 819 (June 4, 2001)

2001-04 H.R. 2216, the "Supplemental Appropriations Act, FY 2001" (P.L. 107-20)
37 WCPD 1096 (July 30, 2001)

2001-05 H.R. 1954, the "Iran and Libya Sanctions Act Extension Act of 2001" (P.L. 107-24)
37 WCPD 1132 (August 6, 2001)

2001-06 S.J. Res. 23, the "Authorization for Use of Military Force" (P.L. 107-40)
37 WCPD 1333 (September 24, 2001)

2001-07 H.R. 2133, creating the "Brown v. Board of Education 50th Anniversary Commission" (P.L. 107-41)
37 WCPD 1336 (September 24, 2001)

2001-08 H.R. 2926, the "Airline Transportation and Systems Stabilization Act" (P.L. 107-42)
37 WCPD 1358 (October 1, 2001)

2001-09 S. 248, authorizing U.S. payments to the United Nations (P.L. 107-46)
37 WCPD 1422 (October 8, 2001)

2001-10 H.R. 2217, the "Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002" (P.L. 107-63)
37 WCPD 1601 (November 12, 2001)

2001-11 H.R. 2904 the "Military Construction Appropriations Act, 2002" (P.L. 107-64).
37 WCPD 1602 (November 12, 2001)

2001-12 H.R. 2590, the "Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 2002" (P.L. 107-67)
37 WCPD 1651 (November 19, 2001)

2001-13 H.R. 2311, the "Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2002" (P.L. 107-66)
37 WCPD 1650 (November 19, 2001)

2001-14 H.R. 2647, the "Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2002" (P.L. 107-68)
37 WCPD 1651 (November 19, 2001)

2001-15 H.R. 2620, the "Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002" (P.L. 107-73)
37 WCPD 1714 (December 3, 2001)

2001-16 H.R. 1042, an act to prevent the scheduled elimination of certain legislatively mandated executive branch reports (P.L. 107-74)
37 WCPD 1722 (December 3, 2001)

2001-17 H.R. 2330, the "Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002" (P.L. 107-76)
37 WCPD 1723 (December 3, 2001)

2001-18 H.R. 1552, the ‘‘Internet Tax Nondiscrimination Act’’ (P.L. 107-75)
37 WCPD 1722 (December 3, 2001)

2001-19 H.R. 2500, the "Department of Commerce, Justice, State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002" (P.L. 107-77)
37 WCPD 1723 (December 3, 2001)

2001-20 H.R. 2299, the "Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002" (P.L. 107-87)
37 WCPD 1802 (December 24, 2001)

2001-21 H.R. 1230, establishing the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge (P.L. 107-91)
37 WCPD 1819 (December 24, 2001)

2001-22 S. 494, the "Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001" (P.L. 107-99)
37 WCPD 1820 (December 24, 2001)

2001-23 S. 1438, the "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002" (P.L. 107-107)
37 WCPD 1834 (December 31, 2001)

2001-24
H.R. 2883, the "Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002" (P.L. 107-108)
37 WCPD 1834 (December 31, 2001)

2002
2002-01 H.R. 3338, the "Department of Defense and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Recovery from and Response to Terrorist Attacks on the United States Act, 2002" (P.L. 107-117
38 WCPD 46 (January 14, 2002)

2002-02 H.R. 2506, the "Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2002" (P.L. 107-115).
38 WCPD 49 (January 14, 2002)

2002-03 H.R. 3061, the "Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002" (P.L. 107-116)
38 WCPD 50 (January 14, 2002)

2002-04 H.R. 1088, the "Investor and Capital Markets Fee Relief Act" (P.L. 107-123)
38 WCPD 77 (January 21, 2002)

2002-05 H.R. 2356, the "Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002" (P.L. 107-155)
38 WCPD 517 (April 1, 2002)

2002-06 H.R. 2646, the "Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002" (P.L. 107-171)
38 WCPD 810 (May 20, 2002)

2002-07 H.R. 3525, the "Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002" (P.L. 107-173)
38 WCPD 822 (May 20, 2002)

2002-08 S. 1372 the "Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act of 2002" (P.L. 107-189)
38 WCPD 1014 (June 17, 2002)

2002-09 H.R. 3275, a bill implementing the International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings and the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism (P.L. 107-197)
38 WCPD 1093 (July 1, 2002)

2002-10 H.R. 327, the "Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002" (P.L. 107-198)
38 WCPD 1112 (July 8, 2002)

2002-11 H.R. 3763, an act to protect investors by improving the accuracy and reliability of corporate disclosures made pursuant to the securities laws (P.L. 107-204)
38 WCPD 1286 (August 5, 2002)

2002-12 H.R. 2068, an act to revise, codify, and enact without substantive change certain general and permanent laws, related to public buildings, property, and works (P.L. 107-217)
38 WCPD 1427 (September 2, 2002)

2002-13 H.R. 5012, an act to amend the John F. Kennedy Center Act (P.L. 107-224)
38 WCPD 1576 (September 23, 2002)

2002-14 H.R. 1646, the "Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003"
(P.L. 107-228)
38 WCPD 1658 (October 7, 2002)

2002-15 H.J. Res. 111, a Joint Resolution making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2003 (P.L. 107-229)
38 WCPD 1660 (October 7, 2002)

2002-16 S. 1175, the "Vicksburg National Military Park Boundary Modification Act of 2002" (P.L. 107-238)
38 WCPD 1745 (October 14, 2002)

2002-17 H.J. Res. 114, a resolution to authorize the use of United States Armed Forces against Iraq (P.L.107-243)
38 WCPD 1779 (October 21, 2002)

2002-18 H.R. 5531, the "Sudan Peace Act" (P.L. 107-245)
38 WCPD 1819 (October 28, 2002)

2002-19 H.R. 5010, the "Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2003" (P.L. 107-248)
38 WCPD 1834 (October 28, 2002)

2002-20 H.R. 5011, the "Military Construction Appropriations Act, 2003" (P.L. 107-249)
38 WCPD 1834 (October 28, 2002)

2002-21 H.R. 2121, the "Russian Democracy Act of 2002" (P.L. 107-246)
38 WCPD 1839 (October 28, 2002)

2002-22 H.R. 5651, the "Medical Device User Fee and Modernization Act of 2002" (P.L. 107-250)
38 WCPD 1874 (November 4, 2002)

2002-23 H.R. 3295, the "Help America Vote Act of 2002"
(P.L. 107-252)
38 WCPD 1888 (November 4, 2002)

2002-24 S. 1227, the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area Study Act (P.L. 107-256)
38 WCPD 1892 (November 4, 2002)

2002-25 H.R. 2215, the "21st Century Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act" (P.L. 107-273)
38 WCPD 1971 (November 11, 2002)

2002-26 H.R. 3801, an act to provide for improvement of Federal education research, statistics, evaluation, information, and dissemination (P.L. 107-279)
38 WCPD 1995 (November 11, 2002)

2002-27 H.R. 4685, an act to amend title 31, United States Code, to expand types of Federal agencies that are required to prepare audited financial statements (P.L. 107-289)

Continued>>>
http://www.coherentbabble.com/listGWBall.htm

[Kdillard]

1. A good rule of thumb is if Bush did it more than likely you shouldn't do it

at least not the way he did it to thumb his nose at Congress.

[Oregone]

2. Obama does actually

Lots have. Bush is too stupid to be original enough to have invented the concepts of signing statements or clearing brush

[eleny]

3. Or can Obama use signing statements to amend this bill once it's passed & signed into law?

I've been wondering about this tonight.

[Avalux]

4. I posted this question awhile ago and got little response.

If the bill has a weak, limiting public option (but the bones are there), could Obama use a signing statement to expand and open it up to everyone??

[eleny]

5. We'll get answers in the days ahead

Tonight people seem to be grooving on the various theatrics on the floor of the House. I'm guilty of that myself. :blush:

[Avalux]

6. What else do we have to do?

My daughter thinks I'm nuts for watching CSPAN on a Saturday night. :hi:

[eleny]

9. LOL!

:fistbump:

[Davis_X_Machina]

7. No.

We got rid of kings a while back.

Congress makes laws.

[Igel]

8. No.

There's a lot of misinformation about signing statements.

They do a few things. Most benign.

1. They say how the president interprets part or all of the law and includes cheers or jeers for it. He's going to have to enforce it, he may as well go on record--if he has the guts--to say what he thinks it means. The courts can overrule him, of course.

2. He gives his interpretation when there are conflicts. In one statement I read it said that some dept. head had to certify a report. There are two possibly relevant definitions: One is that he's certifying that it was properly drawn up by his agency. The other is that he's personally vouching that he's confirmed every fact. The report routinely ran over 2000 pages, mostly of charts and tables, and no one person could ever certify it by the second definition--but just to be clear, the signing statement stipulated which definition the dept. head would be held to.

3. He says that he's not going to enforce part of it simply because it's unconstitutional--and then says why he thinks which parts are unconstitutional.

Every president does (2). Not all make their quibbles explicit. * made pretty much all explicit. Same for (3), which is where DU had great problems with *. However, many presidents have pointed out the more egregious infringements, as they would put it, on their constitutional prerogatives. * found more infringements, or more vociferously bandied his objections about. Obama's had, I think, fewer signing statements, and mostly has had statements more along the lines of (3)--Congress says, 'Do X,' and the president responds saying that the Constitution says he doesn't have to.

Notice this: (1) is mostly PR, (2) tells courts how he understood them, and that forms part of the law's history should the courts get involved. (3) blows raspberries at Congress.

Nothing adds to the law. Nothing expands the law. Nothing smacks of an executive order. Some of the suggestions upthread involve expanding the law or says, essentially, to have an executive order that would probably surpass what an executive order could legitimately do.

[Avalux]

10. Thanks -

appreciate your explanation. :hi: