Issuing signing statements that Obama once called unconstitutional
President Obama issued his first signing statement today, two days after limiting the scope of the signing statements of President Bush. Candidate Obama called them unconstitutional.
Two days after President Obama sought to limit the impact of the signing statements of President Bush, Obama issued his own.
From the New York Times:
President Obama on Wednesday issued his first signing statement, reserving a right to bypass dozens of provisions in a $410 billion government spending bill even as he signed it into law.
In the statement — directions to executive-branch officials about how to carry out the legislation — Mr. Obama instructed them to view most of the disputed provisions as merely advisory and nonbinding, saying they were unconstitutional intrusions on his own powers.
President Obama says he reserves his power to ignore provisions in the bill that prohibit U.S. soldiers from serving under foreign generals on U.N. missions, provide cover for whistle blowers who give testimony to Congress and other budgetary issues.
Signing statements have long been used by presidents of both parties, but candidate Obama said he wouldn’t use them, framing their use as an unconstitutional expansion of presidential power.
Sources:
The New York Times, March 11, 2009
Obama Says He Can Ignore Some Parts of Spending Bill
The Daily Beast, March 11, 2009
The New York Times, March 9, 2009
Obama Looks to Limit Impact of Tactic Bush Used to Sidestep New Laws
