2134 Oct. 27 / Administration o f G eorge Bush, 1992

ion. This race-based classification cannot be 

supported as an exercise of the constitutional 

authority granted to the Congress to benefit 

Native Americans as members of tribes. In 

addition, the terms “Native American Pacific 

Islanders” and “Indian organizations in 

urban or rural nonreservation areas” are not 

defined with sufficient clarity to determine 

whether they are based on racial classifications. Therefore, I direct the affected Cabinet Secretaries to consult with the Attorney 

General in order to resolve these issues in 

a constitutional manner.

George Bush

The White House,

October 26,1992.

Note: This statement follow s the text as released by the Office o f the Press Secretary

at the W hite House on O ctober 2 7.

Statement on Signing Legislation

Establishing the Brown v. Board of

Education National Historic Site

October 26,1992

Today I am signing into law S. 2890, a bill 

to establish the Brown v. Board o f Education

National Historic Site in Topeka, Kansas, redesignate the Fort Jefferson National Monument as the Dry Tortugas National Park, and 

provide for studies of the New River in West 

Virginia and Boston Harbor Islands in Massachusetts.

Although I have signed S. 2 8 9 0 ,1 will withhold my approval of H.R. 5021, the “New 

River Wild and Scenic Study Act of 1992,” 

and H.R. 5061, a bill concerning the “Dry 

Tortugas National Park,” because S. 2890 

contains the identical provisions of both H.R. 

5021 and H.R. 5061.

George Bush

The White House,

October 26, 1992.

Note: This statement follow s the text as released by the Office o f the Press Secretary

at the W hite House on O ctober 2 7.

Statement on Signing the President

John F. Kennedy Assassination

Records Collection Act of 1992

October 26,1992

Today I am signing into law' S. 3006, the 

“President John F. Kennedy Assassination 

Records Collection Act of 1992.” This legislation provides for the review and, wherever 

possible, the release of records about the assassination of President Kennedy that have 

not yet been made public. I fully support the 

goals of this legislation.

In the minds of many Americans, questions about President Kennedy’s assassination remain unresolved. Although the Government already has released many thousands of documents, the existence of additional, undisclosed documents has led to 

speculation that these materials might shed 

important new light on the assassination. Because of legitimate historical interest in this 

tragic event, all documents about the assassination should now' be disclosed, except 

where the strongest possible reasons counsel 

otherwise.

While I am pleased that this legislation 

avoids the chief constitutional problems 

raised by earlier versions of the bill considered by the Congress, it still raises several 

constitutional questions. First, S. 3006 sets 

forth the grounds on which the release of 

documents may be postponed, but this list 

does not contemplate nondisclosure of executive branch deliberations or law enforcement information of the executive branch 

(including the entities listed in sections 3(2) 

(G) through (K)), and it provides only a narrow basis for nondisclosure of national security information. My authority to protect 

these categories of information comes from 

the Constitution and cannot be limited by 

statute. Although only the most extraordinary 

circumstances would require postponement 

of the disclosure of documents for reasons 

other than those recognized in the bill, I cannot abdicate my constitutional responsibility 

to take such action when necessary. The 

same applies to the provision purporting to 

give certain congressional committees “access to any records held or created by the 

Review Board.” This provision will be interpreted consistently with my authority under