Statement on Signing the National Transportation Safety Board Reauthorization Act of 2006

Today I have signed into law H.R. 5076, the "National Transportation Safety Board Reauthorization Act of 2006." The Act authorizes funding for the Board and makes adjustments to its authority and duties.

Section 2(a)(2) of the Act requires the Board to develop an operating plan for the National Transportation Safety Board Academy, obtain and respond to comments from a legislative agent regarding that plan, submit the plan to congressional committees with a description of modifications made in response to comments from the legislative agent, and then implement the plan within 2 years. The executive branch shall construe the provision in a manner consistent with the Constitution's provisions concerning the separate powers of the Congress to legislate and the President to execute the laws.

The executive branch shall construe section 1113(c) of title 49, United States Code, as amended by section 9(f) of the Act, which relates to the Board's review and comment or approval of documents submitted to the President, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, or Congress, in a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of the President to supervise the unitary executive branch and to recommend for the consideration of the Congress such measures as the President shall judge necessary and expedient.

The executive branch shall construe section 11(c) of the Act, relating to executive branch reports to the Congress concerning investigations of alleged criminal and fraudulent activities in connection with a specified project, in a manner consistent with the constitutional authorities of the President to supervise the unitary executive branch and to withhold information the disclosure of which could impair the performance of the Executive's constitutional duties, including the conduct of investigations and prosecutions to take care that the laws be faithfully executed.

GEORGE W. BUSH

The White House,

December 21, 2006.