Arlen Specter: “I seek recognition today to offer the Presidential Signing Statements Act of 2007. The purpose of this bill is to…”

“I seek recognition today to offer the Presidential Signing Statements Act of 2007. The purpose of this bill is to regulate the use of Presidential Signing Statements in the interpretation of acts of Congress. This bill is similar in substance to the Presidential Signing Statements Act of 2006, which I introduced on July 26, 2006. The Senate Judiciary Committee also held a hearing on this topic on June 27, 2006. I believe that this is necessary to protect our constitutional system of checks and balances. This bill achieves that goal in the following ways. First, it prevents the President from issuing a signing statement that alters the meaning of a statute by instructing Federal and State courts not to rely on Presidential signing statements in interpreting a statute. Second, it grants Congress the power to participate in any case where the construction or constitutionality of any act of Congress is in question and a presidential signing statement for that act was issued by (i) allowing Congress to file an amicus brief and present oral argument in such a case; (ii) instructing that if Congress passes a joint resolution declaring its view of the correct interpretation of the statute, the court must admit that resolution into the case record; and (iii) providing for expedited review in such a case. Presidential signing statements are nothing new. Since the days of President James Monroe, Presidents have issued statements when signing bills.”