Washington, D.C.
Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff reviews all pending legislation for language that could limit the president’s power, The Boston Globe reported this week. Before the president signs any bill, Cheney’s chief aide, David Addington, reportedly examines it for provisions that could be used to restrict presidential authority. When such provisions are found, the president adds a statement during the signing ceremony, noting that he does not consider himself bound by statutory limits on his constitutional powers. In his five years in office, President Bush has issued more than 750 such signing statements; fewer than 600 were issued by all previous presidents combined. Legal scholars say Cheney is the first vice president in history to routinely review legislation.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Why Turkey's Kurdish insurgents are laying down their armsUnder the Radar The PKK said its aims can now be 'resolved through democratic politics'
-
Book reviews: 'Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves' and 'Notes to John'Feature The aughts' toxic pop culture and Joan Didion's most private pages
-
The FDA plans to embrace AI agencywideIn the Spotlight Rumors are swirling about a bespoke AI chatbot being developed for the FDA by OpenAI
