Statement on Signing the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020
Issued 2020-06-05 by Donald J. Trump
Plain-English Overview
AI-generated summary explaining what this action does, who it affects, and why it matters
When the President signed the "Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020" into law, he also issued a "signing statement." This Act provides greater flexibility for restaurants, hotels, and other small businesses to use Federal Government loans under the Paycheck Protection Program. These loans are intended to help businesses pay for payroll, employee benefits, and other expenses while dealing with the coronavirus outbreak, which the President stated is essential for protecting jobs as the Nation reopens its economy.
In this signing statement, the President expressed concerns about the "uncertain constitutionality" of the Act because the House of Representatives used a proxy voting system to pass it. He urged Congress to pass the Act again through traditional in-person voting. Signing statements allow presidents to express constitutional or policy objections to specific parts
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 Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020") 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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