Q: While I was listening to NPR, mention was made of presidential signing statements. From Reagan to Obama, how many signing statements have presidents issued while signing bills into law?
-- Bruce Burnaman, Woodstock
A: Presidents attach signing statements, which are written comments, to bills passed by Congress when they want to either comment on them or challenge, and possibly reject, something specific in them. "The more controversial statements involve claims by presidents that they believe some part of the legislation is unconstitutional and therefore they intend to ignore it or to implement it only in ways they believe is constitutional," University of California, Santa Barbara political science professor John T. Woolley wrote on the website the American Presidency Project at www.americanpresidency.org. Ronald Reagan issued 285 signing statements, which included 149 challenges, according to Chris Kelley, a political science professor at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. George H.W. Bush issued 223 (246 challenges); Bill Clinton issued 326 (153 challenges); and George W. Bush issued 172 signing statements (1,168 challenges). President Barack Obama has issued 22 signing statements with 43 challenges, but none since April 15, Kelley told Q&A on the News in an email. Experts trace signing statements to President James Monroe, and they have been used by many presidents since then.
Andy Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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