Statement on Signing the Families First Coronavirus Response Act
Issued 2020-03-18 by Donald J. Trump
Plain-English Overview
AI-generated summary explaining what this action does, who it affects, and why it matters
President Donald J. Trump issued a "signing statement" on March 18, 2020, when he signed the "Families First Coronavirus Response Act" into law. In this statement, he addressed a specific provision within the new law that "purports to require the Secretary of Agriculture" to submit a report to Congress, including legislative recommendations. The President stated his Administration
AI-generated summary for educational purposes
Constitutional Analysis
How this action fits (or doesn't) within Article II authority and existing law
This signing statement ("Statement on Signing the Families First Coronavirus Response Act") was issued alongside a bill the President signed into law. Signing statements allow presidents to express constitutional or policy objections to specific provisions of legislation they have just signed. Their legal weight and constitutional propriety have been contested since the practice became common in the 1980s.
Critics — including the American Bar Association — argue that using signing statements to announce an intent to not enforce portions of a law effectively creates a line-item veto, which the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional in Clinton v. City of New York (1998). Defenders argue presidents have a duty to identify constitutional concerns and that signing statements are a legitimate form of executive interpretation. The constitutional propriety depends on whether this specific statement announces non-enforcement or merely records the President's views.
Official Summary
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