The Law: Contextualizing the Signing Statement

Abstract

The presidential signing statement became a public spectacle in 2006 after a news account claimed President George W. Bush used the signing statement to challenge the constitutionality of over 750 provisions of various bills he signed into law. Despite the coverage generated over Bush's use of the signing statement, most Americans still remain woefully uniformed of its history or purpose. The point of this article is to discuss what the signing statement is, its history, and ways in which the Congress may curb its use.