For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 22, 2006

Statement by the Press Secretary on Bill Signings

On Friday, December 22, 2006 the President signed into law:

H.J. Res. 101, which provides that the first regular session of the 110th Congress will begin at noon on Thursday, January 4, 2007;

S. 214, the "United States-Mexico Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Act," which establishes the United States-Mexico transboundary aquifer assessment program to characterize, map, and model transboundary groundwater resources along the United States-Mexico border;

S. 362, the "Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act," which establishes programs in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the United States Coast to identify, reduce, and prevent marine debris and its adverse impacts on the marine environment and navigation safety;

S. 707, the "Prematurity Research Expansion and Education for Mothers who deliver Infants Early Act" or the "PREEMIE Act," which authorizes appropriations through FY 2011 for the Department of Health and Human Services to expand and coordinate research and educational activities related to preterm labor and delivery and infant mortality; and delays the effective date of certain Head Start regulations

S. 895, the "Rural Water Supply Act of 2006," which authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to: carry out a rural water supply program; and make available loan guarantees for rural water supply projects, extraordinary operation and maintenance activity for Reclamation facilities, or improvements to water infrastructure directly associated with a reclamation project;

S. 1096, the "Musconetcong Wild and Scenic Rivers Act," which designates portions of the Musconetcong River in New Jersey as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System;

S. 1378, the "National Historic Preservation Act Amendments Act of 2006," which extends the authorization of the Historic Preservation Fund and revises the membership and other authorities of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation;

S. 1529, the "City of Yuma Improvement Act," which conveys certain Federal land to the City of Yuma, Arizona, in exchange for three non-Federal parcels of land;

S. 1608, the "Undertaking Spam, Spyware, and Fraud Enforcement With Enforcers beyond Borders Act of 2006" or the "U.S. SAFE WEB Act of 2006," which authorizes the Federal Trade Commission to provide assistance to and share information with foreign law enforcement agencies; provides for procedures for confidentiality and delayed notification when requesting information about suspected perpetrators of fraud; and provides protection to private sector entities for voluntary provision of information;

S. 2125, the "Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act of 2006," which promotes relief, security, and democracy in the Democratic Republic of Congo;

S. 2150, the "Eugene Land Conveyance Act," which directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey approximately 12 acres of Federal land to the City of Eugene, Oregon, for the purpose of constructing an environmental education center and wildlife viewing area;

S. 2205, the "Blunt Reservoir and Pierre Canal Land Conveyance Act of 2006," which conveys certain parcels of Federal land to the State of South Dakota; and to sell certain parcels of Federal land to leaseholders;

S. 2653, the "Call Home Act of 206," which requires the Federal Communications Commission to take action to reduce the cost of calling home for Armed Forces personnel stationed or deployed abroad; and requires the Department of Commerce to accelerate the award of $1 billion for public safety interoperable communications grants to no later than September 30, 2007, subject to the receipt of qualified applications;

S. 2753, the "Dam Safety Act of 2006," which reauthorizes the National Dam Safety Program (NDSP) through fiscal year 2011;

S. 3421, the "Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006," which makes changes in several veterans' affairs programs and benefits, including: information security; health; construction; housing benefits and homeless veteran assistance; and attorney representation in benefits cases;

S. 3546, the "Dietary Supplement and Nonprescription Drug Consumer Protection Act," which requires the reporting of serious adverse associated with dietary supplements and certain non-prescription drugs sold and consumed in the United States;

S. 3821, the "Creating Opportunities for Minor League Professionals Entertainers, and Teams through Legal Entry Act of 2006" or the "COMPETE Act of 2006," which expands eligibility for the P-1 visa program for certain athletes seeking to temporarily enter the United States to participate in an athletic competition or performance;

S. 4042, which prohibits disruptions of funerals of members or former members of the Armed Forces, and provides for punishment of such demonstrations as a misdemeanor;

S. 4091, the "Social Security Trust Funds Restoration Act of 2006," which appropriates funds from the General Fund of the Treasury to the Social Security Trust Funds to restore amounts erroneously overpaid under the voluntary withholding of taxes program;

S. 4092, which authorizes the construction of a digital television broadcast tower on Lookout Mountain in Jefferson County, Colorado, by any entity holding an approved Federal Communications Commission permit to construct such a tower; and

S. 4093, which extends through September 30, 2007, the period of time during which certain borrowers remain eligible for Department of Agriculture guaranteed operating loans.

# # #