For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 1, 2004
President's Statement on H.R. 3936
December 1, 2004
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
Today, I have signed into law H.R. 3936, the "Veterans Health
Programs Improvement Act of 2004." The Act is designed to strengthen
the management and administration of health care facilities and
programs for our Nation's veterans.
Section 414(e)(4)(D) of the Act requires the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs (Secretary) to include, in a written notice of a mission change
for any of several departmental medical facilities, an analysis of any
alternatives to the mission change proposed by the Department of
Veterans Affairs. The executive branch shall construe this provision
in a manner consistent with the President's constitutional authority to
supervise the unitary executive branch and to withhold information the
disclosure of which could impair the deliberative processes of the
Executive or the performance of the Executive's constitutional duties.
Section 501(c) of the Act purports to require the Secretary to
submit to the Congress recommendations for changes in law in certain
circumstances. The executive branch shall implement this provision in
a manner consistent with the President's constitutional authority to
supervise the unitary executive branch and to recommend for the
consideration of the Congress such measures as the President judges
necessary and expedient.
GEORGE W. BUSH
THE WHITE HOUSE,
November 30, 2004.
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