Signing Statements, 2001 to present

November 11, 2009 - Obama Issues Signing Statement for S. 475, the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act

12 Nov 2009 14:26:18 GMT

On November 11, 2009, President Obama issued a signing statement for S. 475, the "Military Spouses Residency Relief Act." This is Obama's eighth signing statement and his third rhetorical signing statement.

You can read the new signing statement at the White House website.

You can read both the text of the signing statement and the enrolled text of the law to which it pertains at the website providing this RSS alert.

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June 26, 2009 - Obama Issues Two Signing Statements for the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009

27 Jun 2009 14:26:18 GMT

On June 24, 2009, President Obama signed H.R. 2346, the "Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009" (P.L. 111-32).

Also on June 24, 2009, the White House Press Office released a document entitled "Statement from the President on signing the Supplemental Appropriations Act." It is available on the White House website. The Office of the Federal Register's (OFR's) Compilation of Presidential Documents has classified the document as a signing statement. See, Daily Comp. Pres. Docs., 2009 DCPD No. 00501 (PDF from the OFR), or Daily Comp. Pres. Docs., 2009 DCPD No. 00501 (HTML text at the OFR). This signing statement is rhetorical and raises no constitutional issues relating to the law to which it pertains.

On June 26, 2009, the White House released another document concerning the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009 (P.L. 111-32). This document appears to be a second signing statement for the same law. The full text of the document is available on the White House website. It is not yet available from the OFR's Daily Compilation of Presidential Documents. This signing statement raises constitutional concerns about four specified provisions of law in P.L. 111-32..

If both documents are signing statements, they are, respectively, President Obama's sixth and seventh signing statements. To see Obama's previous signing statements, click here.

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June 2, 2009 - Obama's Fifth Signing Statement

3 Jun 2009 12:56:48 GMT

On June 2, 2009, the White House released President Obama's signing statement for H.R. 131, an act creating a Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission. The full text of the signing statement is available on the White House website or here.

This signing statement raises constitutional issues.

It is President Obama's fifth signing statement. To see the previous signing statements, click here.

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May 20, 2009 - Obama Issues His Fourth Signing Statement

21 May 2009 15:01:58 GMT

On May 20, 2009 the White House released President Obama's signing statement for S. 386, the "Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act of 2009." The full text of the signing statement is available on the White House website or here.

This signing statement raises a constitutional objection to a provision of S. 386.

It is President Obama's fourth signing statement. To see the previous signing statements, click here.

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President Obama Issues His Third Signing Statement

31 Mar 2009 04:29:40 GMT

On March 30, 2009 the White House released President Obama's signing statement for H.R. 146, the "Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009." The full text of the signing statement is available on the White House website or on this website.

This signing statement raises a constitutional objection to a provision of H.R. 146.

It is President Obama's third signing statement. To see the previous two signing statements, click here.

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President Obama Issues Signing Statement for HR 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009

12 Mar 2009 13:21:34 GMT

On March 11, 2009, President Obama issued a signing statement for HR 1105, the 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act.

The full text of the signing statement is available on the White House website or on this website.

This is President Obama's second signing statement. The first signing statement, issued February 17, 2009, was a rhetorical or ceremonial statement. The new signing statement, issued on March 11, 2009, raises constitutional objections.

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Notable news articles and commentary about the new signing statement:

American Bar Association Journal

President Obama Issues Memorandum Concerning Signing Statements

10 Mar 2009 12:46:19 GMT

On March 9, 2009, the White House released a Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies on the Subject of Presidential Signing Statements. The full text is available on the White House website.

The memo directs executive branch departments and agencies to seek the advice of the Attorney General before relying on signing statements issued prior to March 9, 2009, as the basis for disregarding or refusing to comply with any provision of a statute.

The memo also describes legitimate uses of signing statements and sets out principles that the administration will adhere to in order to avoid abusive use of signing statements.

Notable news articles and commentary concerning the memorandum:

New York Times: Obama Looks to Limit Impact of Tactic Bush Used to Sidestep New Laws

Chicago Tribune: Obama Rejects Bush Signing Statements

Washington Post: Obama Pulls Back From Signing Statements

Associated Press: Obama orders review of Bush's signing statements

Boston Globe: Obama rebukes Bush on signing statements

CNN: Obama moves to limit impact of Bush signing statements

CBS News Hotsheet: Maneuvering Room On Signing Statements

US News & World Report: Obama Rolls Back Unconstitutional George W. Bush Signing Statement Policy

GPO Publishes President Obama's Signing Statement for ARRA - February 23, 2009

10 Mar 2009 13:01:05 GMT

The Daily Compilation of Presidential Documents (DCPD) has published President Obama's statement on signing H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).

The DCPD has categorized the document as a bill signing statement. The statement is dated February 17, 2009. You can read the Government Printing Office's publication of the signing statement here (plain text) or here (PDF). As of this writing (8:06 am EST, 2/24/2009), I cannot locate the signing statement on the White House website.

This appears to be a rhetorical signing statement.

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Ambiguous White House Document Recategorized - February 22, 2009

22 Feb 2009 23:53:06 GMT

Ambiguous Document from the White House Press Office

On February 11, 2009, the White House issued a press release that reads as follows:

Wednesday, February 11th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Statement of President Barack Obama on Signing the DTV Bill

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
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For Immediate Release February 11, 2009

WASHINGTON - Today, President Barack Obama signed S.352, a bill to postpone the DTV transition date to June 12th to allow for more time for the American consumers to prepare for the switch from analog television.

"During these challenging economic times, the needs of American consumers are a top priority of my administration. This law, which was crafted in a bipartisan way and passed overwhelmingly in the House and Senate, ensures that our citizens will have more time to prepare for the conversion. Millions of Americans, including those in our most vulnerable communities, would have been left in the dark if the conversion had gone on as planned, and this solution is an important step forward as we work to get the nation ready for digital TV. My administration will continue to work with leaders in Congress, broadcasters, consumer groups and the telecommunications industry to improve the information and assistance available to our citizens in advance of June 12."

You can view this document at the White House website by clicking here.

I called the White House Press Office on February 12, asked how this document would be reported to the Daily Compilation of Presidential Documents (DCPD), and was told that the material in quotations in the press release was a signing statement. I specifically asked whether the quoted language would be reported as bill signing remarks or a bill signing statement, because the document is ambiguous and has features of both. The Press Office's response was clear: the material in quotations is a signing statement. Therefore, I reported the material as a signing statement on this RSS feed, with a caution that the DCPD had not yet categorized the document.

During the Bush administration, the Office of the Federal Register (OFR) published both signing statements and bill signing remarks under the heading "Bill Signings." On February 19, 2009, the DCPD published the quoted material in the February 11 press release under the heading "Statements by the President." The DCPD print is available here (plain text) or here (PDF version). Thus, the OFR is not treating the February 11 materials as a signing statement.

The DCPD also categorizes the material as a presidential statement on Congressional passage of the DTV Delay Act, though the White House press release labels the material as President Obama's statement on signing the DTV bill.

On February 20, I spoke with an editor at the OFR. The DCPD classified the February 11 document as a statement upon Congressional passage because the OFR has not received a written statement from the White House. This was the OFR's editorial standard for classifying documents for the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents during the Bush administration, and the same standard is being applied to the DCPD during the Obama administration.

All of George W. Bush's signing statements were initially posted on the White House website in the form of press releases, and many of them were titled like the February 11 press release above. Headlines for press releases announcing a signing statement from the Bush White House took often this form: "President Bush's statement upon signing the [name of act subjected to signing statement]." For just a few examples, please see signing statements 2008-03, 2007-03, 2006-03, 2006-06, 2006-08 from the Bush administration.

I called the White House Press Office again on February 20 and spoke with spokesperson Amy Brundage. She explained that the February 11 document was issued in this format because President Obama made a statement about the law that he was signing, and there was no public signing ceremony. She declined to confirm or deny that the material is a signing statement.

Because neither the White House Press Office nor the OFR has categorized the February 11 press release, or any part of it, as a signing statement, I am concluding that: (a) the Obama press office was unaware that the language it used to title its February 11 press release was identical to language that the Bush White House often used to signal the issuance of a signing statement; and (b) the press office intended to make President Obama's comments on signing the bill available to the public, and did not intend to signal issuance of a signing statement.

I have altered my reports and am treating the document as if it is not a signing statement. I am again reporting that President Obama has not yet issued any signing statements.

George W. Bush Issues Two New Signing Statements - October 14, 2008

15 Oct 2008 22:40:21 GMT

NEW SIGNING STATEMENTS

On October 14, 2008, the White House Office released signing statements for S. 3001, the "Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009," and H.R. 928, the "Inspector General Reform Act of 2008." Click here to see these signing statements.

These are, respectively, the 160th and 161st signing statements that President Bush has issued. President Bush has issued five signing statements in 2008 and eleven signing statements pertaining to acts passed by the 110th Congress.

Both of the new statements are constitutional, not rhetorical, signing statements.

PRIOR SIGNING STATEMENTS

The previous five signing statements are listed below. Click the links to see the full text of the signing statements:

October 8, 2008:
statement for H.R. 7081, the "United States-India Nuclear Cooperation Approval and Nonproliferation Enhancement Act."

September 30, 2008:
statement for HR 2638, the "Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009."

January 28, 2008:
statement for H.R. 4986, the "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008."

December 31, 2007:
statement for S. 2271, the "Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act of 2007."

December 26, 2007:
statement for H.R. 2764, the "Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008."

George W. Bush Issues New Signing Statement - October 8, 2008

9 Oct 2008 01:13:14 GMT

NEW SIGNING STATEMENT

On October 8, 2008, the White House Office released a signing statement for HR 7081, the ‘‘United States-India Nuclear Cooperation Approval and Nonproliferation Enhancement Act." Click here to see the signing statement.

This is the 159th signing statement that President Bush has issued, the third signing statement released in 2008, and the ninth signing statement pertaining to an act passed by the 110th Congress.

PRIOR SIGNING STATEMENTS

The previous five signing statements are listed below. Click the links to see the full text of the signing statements:

September 30, 2008:
statement for HR 2638, the "Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009."

January 28, 2008:
statement for H.R. 4986, the "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008."

December 31, 2007:
statement for S. 2271, the "Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act of 2007."

December 26, 2007:

statement for H.R. 2764, the"Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008."

December 12, 2007:

statement for H.R. 3222, Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007."

George W. Bush Issues New Signing Statement - September 30, 2008

1 Oct 2008 13:56:09 GMT

NEW SIGNING STATEMENT

On September 30, 2008, the White House Office released a signing statement for H.R. 2638, the "Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009." Click here to see the signing statement

This is the 158th signing statement that President Bush has issued, the second signing statement released in 2008, and the ninth signing statement pertaining to an act passed by the 110th Congress.

PRIOR SIGNING STATEMENTS

The last five signing statements are listed below. Click the links to see the full text of the signing statements:

January 28, 2008:
statement for H.R. 4986, the "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008."

December 31, 2007:
statement for S. 2271, the "Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act of 2007."

December 26, 2007:
statement for H.R. 2764, the"Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008."

December 12, 2007:
statement for H.R. 3222, Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007."

November 13, 2007:
statement for H.R. 3222, the "Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2008."