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S 875 111th Congress Senate

Presidential Signing Statements Act of 2009

Official title: A bill to regulate the judicial use of presidential signing statements in the interpretation of Acts of Congress.

Introduced: April 23, 2009 See on congress.gov
Law Constitution and constitutional amendmentsEvidence and witnessesJudicial review and appealsLegislative rules and procedure
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Presidents and presidential powers, Vice PresidentsSupreme Court
This bill died when the 111th Congress ended
It never became law before the 111th Congress (2009–2010) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 23, 2009
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4677-4678)
Apr 23, 2009
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4676-4677)
Apr 23, 2009
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action April 23, 2009

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4677-4678)

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Presidential Signing Statements Act of 2009 - Prohibits any state or federal court from relying on or deferring to a presidential signing statement as a source of authority when determining the meaning of any Act of Congress.

Requires any federal or state court, in any action, suit, or proceeding regarding the construction or constitutionality, or both, of any Act of Congress in which a presidential signing statement was issued, to permit the Senate, through the Office of Senate Legal Counsel, or the House, through the Office of General Counsel for the House, or both, to participate as an amicus curiae, and to present an oral argument on the question of the Act's construction or constitutionality, or both.

Authorizes the full Congress, in any such suit, to pass a concurrent resolution declaring its view of the proper interpretation of the Act of Congress at issue, clarifying Congress's intent or its findings of fact, or both.

Requires the federal or state court in question to permit Congress, through the Office of Senate Legal Counsel, to submit any such passed resolution into the record of the case as a matter of right.

Makes it the duty of each federal or state court, including the U.S. Supreme Court, to advance on the docket and to expedite to the greatest possible extent the disposition of any matter brought under this Act.


 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 875: Presidential Signing Statements Act of 2009. 111th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/111-S-875/
MLA
"S. 875: Presidential Signing Statements Act of 2009." 111th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/111-S-875/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 875, 111th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/111-S-875/.
Markdown link
[S. 875: Presidential Signing Statements Act of 2009](https://openamerica.io/bill/111-S-875/)
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