Statement on Signing the Coordinated Ocean Observations and Research Act of 2020

President Trump signed a bill into law called the "Coordinated Ocean Observations and Research Act of 2020." At the same time, he issued a "signing statement" to accompany it. In this statement, he expressed a concern about a specific part of the new law. This part requires a group called the Interagency Ocean Observation Committee to create and send a "coordinated, comprehensive budget" to Congress along with the President's yearly budget. The President stated his administration would carry out this part of the law in a way that aligns with his view of the Constitution's "Recommendations Clause."

Signing statements are used by presidents to express concerns, either constitutional or policy-related, about parts of laws they have just signed. The legal standing and whether these statements are proper under the Constitution have been debated since the 1980s. Some argue that using these statements to say a president won't enforce portions of a law is like an unconstitutional "line-item veto." Others argue that presidents have a duty to point out constitutional concerns and that these statements are a valid way for the executive branch to interpret laws. Whether this specific statement is constitutionally proper depends on if it signals non-enforcement or simply records the President's views.

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