ABA Releases Task Force Report on Presidential Signing Statements
Bump and Update (TL): The ABA issued its task force report today. The task force was chaired by Neal Sonnett of Miami. You can access the report here. From the ABA press release:
The task force determined that signing statements that signal the president's intent to disregard laws adopted by Congress undermine the separation of powers by depriving Congress of the opportunity to override a veto, and by shutting off policy debate between the two branches of government. According to the task force, they operate as a "line item veto," which the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled unconstitutional.
Noting that the Constitution is silent about presidential signing statements, the task force found that, while several recent presidents have used them, the frequency of signing statements that challenge laws has escalated substantially, and their purpose has changed dramatically, during the Bush Administration.
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