Remember that Defense authorization bill that Bush tried to claim he had pocket vetoed?
And remember how the Congress decided to remedy Bush's objection to the provision allowing Gulf War vets who had been captured and tortured by Saddam Hussein to sue the Iraqi government was to write in a waiver?
Well, you'll never guess what he did.
Oh, wait. Were you gonna guess he waived it? Nevermind. I guess you will guess what he did. What a shocker!
And that's not all. After vetoing the bill, and sending it back with his objections, and getting his specific objections answered with a waiver provision, Bush still ended up issuing a signing statement on the bill. What a dick!
You may be interested to know what provisions he claims to be nullifying, by the way:
Provisions of the Act, including sections 841, 846, 1079, and 1222, purport to impose requirements that could inhibit the President's ability to carry out his constitutional obligations to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, to protect national security, to supervise the executive branch, and to execute his authority as Commander in Chief. The executive branch shall construe such provisions in a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of the President.
And what are sections 841, 846, 1079, and 1222? Oh, you know. No big deals.
SEC. 841. COMMISSION ON WARTIME CONTRACTING IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN.
SEC. 846. PROTECTION FOR CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEES FROM REPRISAL FOR DISCLOSURE OF CERTAIN INFORMATION.
SEC. 1079. COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE COMMITTEES ON ARMED SERVICES OF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
(a) Requests of Committees- The Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, the Director of a national intelligence center, or the head of any element of the intelligence community shall, not later than 45 days after receiving a written request from the Chair or ranking minority member of the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate or the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives for any existing intelligence assessment, report, estimate, or legal opinion relating to matters within the jurisdiction of such Committee, make available to such committee such assessment, report, estimate, or legal opinion, as the case may be.
SEC. 1222. LIMITATION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES RELATING TO IRAQ.
No funds appropriated pursuant to an authorization of appropriations in this Act may be obligated or expended for a purpose as follows:
(1) To establish any military installation or base for the purpose of providing for the permanent stationing of United States Armed Forces in Iraq.
(2) To exercise United States control of the oil resources of Iraq.
No Iraq contracting commission. No Iraq contractor whistleblower protection. And no defunding of permanent bases.
La la la! Nothing to see here!
Love that "power of the purse!" It looks so nice up there on the mantle (and not the table) next to the "subpoena power."
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