[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 6 (Monday, February 13, 2006)]
[Pages 215-216]
[Online from the Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005

February 8, 2006

    Today, I have signed into law S. 1932, the ``Deficit Reduction Act 
of 2005.'' The Act reduces unnecessary spending of taxpayer dollars, 
reflecting a commitment to fiscal responsibility.
    The executive branch shall construe section 1936(d)(2) of the Social 
Security Act as enacted by section 6034 of the Act, which purports to 
make consultation with a legislative agent a precondition to execution 
of the law, to call for but not mandate such consultation, as is 
consistent with the Constitution's provisions concerning the separate 
powers of the Congress to legislate and the President to execute the 
laws.
    Sections 5006(b) and 5008(c) of the Act, and section 401A(a)(2)(C) 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 as enacted by section 8003 of the 
Act, call for executive branch officials to submit legislative 
recommendations

[[Page 216]]

to the Congress. The executive branch shall construe such provisions in 
a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of the President 
to supervise the unitary executive branch and to recommend for 
congressional consideration such measures as the President shall judge 
necessary and expedient.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 February 8, 2006.

Note: An original was not available for the verification of the content 
of this statement.