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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 30, 2002

Statement by the President

Today I have signed into law H.J. Res. 111, a short-term continuing resolution for FY 2003. The resolution provides appropriations for continuing projects and activities of the Federal Government through October 4, 2002. It ensures that Government operations continue with-out interruption at their current operating level, creates no new programs, and contains no increases in spending.

Section 117 of the continuing resolution purports to prohibit all executive branch agencies from spending any funds made available under the continuing resolution "in violation of section 501 of title 44, United States Code." That section would require executive branch agencies to procure printing from the Government Printing Office, a legislative branch entity. The longstanding position of the executive branch, memorialized in a May 1996 opinion by the Department of Justice, is that this language violates the constitutional principles of separation of powers and therefore is not binding on the executive branch. [See Memorandum from Walter Dellinger, Assistant Attorney General, to Emily C. Hewitt, General Counsel, General Services Administration, May 31, 1996.]

My Administration will continue to work with the Congress to ensure that sound fiscal principles are adhered to as we complete action on the FY 2003 appropriations bills.