Statement On Passage of Syria Accountability
Act
(December 12, 2003)
Today, I have signed into law H.R. 1828, the "Syria
Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003."
The Act is intended to strengthen the ability of the United States to
conduct an effective foreign policy.
Section 5 of the Act purports to impose upon the President
requirements to take certain actions against Syria unless the President either determines and certifies to the Congress
that the Government of Syria has taken specific actions, or determines
that it is in the national security interest of the United States to
waive such requirements and reports the reasons for that determination
to the Congress. A law cannot burden or infringe the President's exercise
of a core constitutional power by attaching conditions precedent to
the use of that power. The executive branch shall construe and implement
section 5 in a manner consistent with the President's constitutional
authority to conduct the Nation's foreign affairs and as Commander in
Chief, in particular with respect to the conduct of foreign diplomats
in the United States, the conduct of United States diplomats abroad,
and the exportation of items and provision of services necessary to
the performance of official functions by United States Government personnel
abroad.
Section 6 of the Act requires an officer in the executive
branch to furnish information to the Congress on various subjects involving
Syria and terrorism. The executive branch shall construe section 6 in
a manner consistent with the President's constitutional authority to
withhold information the disclosure of which could impair foreign relations,
national security, the deliberative processes of the Executive, or the
performance of the Executive's constitutional duties.
My approval of the Act does not constitute my adoption
of the various statements of policy in the Act as U.S. foreign policy.
Given the Constitution's commitment to the Presidency of the authority
to conduct the Nation's foreign affairs, the executive branch shall
construe such policy statements as advisory, giving them the due weight
that comity between the legislative and executive branches should require,
to the extent consistent with U.S. foreign policy.
GEORGE W. BUSH
THE WHITE HOUSE,
December 12, 2003.
Sources: The White House |