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20061013 – Keeping Internet gambling in the dark
The October 13, 2006 Statement on Statement on Signing the SAFE Port Act contained this statement:
The executive branch shall construe as advisory provisions of the Act that purport to direct or burden the conduct of negotiations by the executive branch with foreign governments, international organizations, or other entities abroad, that purport to direct executive branch officials to negotiate with foreign governments or in international organizations to achieve specified foreign policy objectives, or that purport to require the executive branch to disclose deliberations between the United States and foreign countries. Such provisions include subsections 205(d) and (i) and 803(b) of the Act; subsection 431(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended by section 301 of the Act; and subsection 629(h) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended by section 404 of the Act. Such provisions, if construed as mandatory rather than advisory, would impermissibly interfere with the President's constitutional authorities to conduct the Nation's foreign affairs, participate in international negotiations, and supervise the unitary executive branch.The full text of the Safe Port Act can be found on its Thomas page. One of the more surprising areas where the Administration is refusing to report on is Internet Gambling. The President fears for the safety of the country if this report is made to Congress:
803 (b) Report Required- The Secretary of the Treasury shall submit an annual report to the Congress on any deliberations between the United States and other countries on issues relating to Internet gambling.One would think that the Administration would want to document progress towards eliminating Internet gambling. What purpose is served in keeping it secret? Of course, one can also be surprised that Internet gambling made into a ports bill to begin with! Continue reading
20061017 – No information on threats to America
From Statement on Signing the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 (H.R. 5122), published on October 17, 2006 and put into October 30 Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents
A number of provisions in the Act call for the executive branch to furnish information to the Congress or other entities on various subjects. These provisions include sections 219, 313, 360, 1211, 1212, 1213, 1227, 1402, and 3116 of the Act, section 427 of title 10, United States Code, as amended by section 932 of the Act, and section 1093 of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (Public Law 108-375) as amended by section 1061 of the Act. The executive branch shall construe such provisions in a manner consistent with the President's constitutional authority to withhold information the disclosure of which could impair foreign relations, the national security, the deliberative processes of the Executive, or the performance of the Executive's constitutional duties.The full text of the Act can be found on the HR 5122 bill page on Thomas. Some of the information the President proposes to withhold include:
- Sec. 313. Response plan for remediation of unexploded ordnance, discarded military munitions, and munitions constituents.
- Sec. 360. Energy efficiency in weapons platforms.
- Sec. 1211. North Korea. - This section requires an interagency review of policy towards North Korea and requires this report - (4) REPORT- Not later than 90 days after the date of the appointment of an individual as Coordinator under paragraph (1), the Coordinator shall submit to the President and Congress an unclassified report, with a classified annex if necessary, on the actions undertaken under paragraph (3). The report shall set forth--(A) the results of the review under paragraph (3)(A); and (B) any other matter on North Korea that the Coordinator considers appropriate.
- SEC. 1213. INTELLIGENCE ON IRAN. - This section requires a new National Intelligence Estimate on Iran, plus a "Presidential Report on Policy Objectives and United States Strategy Regarding Iran"
- Sec. 1402. Quarterly reports on Department of Defense response to threat posed by improvised explosive devices.
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