Issuing another signing statement
President Obama issued his second signing statement today, reserving the right to ignore provisions of the "Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009."
It’s beginning to look like that promise to not use signing statements, you know, those unconstitutional, power-expanding tools of the Bush years, was just a bunch of hot air.
While signing the “Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009,” the president again said he reserves the right to ignore provisions of the bill. From the White House:
Section 8203 of the Act provides that the Secretary of the Interior shall appoint certain members of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission “based on recommendations from each member of the House of Representatives, the district of which encompasses the Corridor.” Because it would be an impermissible restriction on the appointment power to condition the Secretary’s appointments on the recommendations of members of the House, I will construe these provisions to require the Secretary to consider such congressional recommendations, but not to be bound by them in making appointments to the Commission.
Not to beat a dead horse with a stick, but remember that candidate Obama, back in May 2008, said with an emphatic “no” that he would not use signing statements.
Sources:
The White House, March 30, 2009
The Boston Globe, March 30, 2009
