Statement by the Press Secretary on H.R. 274, H.R. 3054 and H.R. 3232

On Saturday, November 22, 2003, the President signed into law:

H.R. 274, the "Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge Expansion Act," which authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire the property in Cecil County, Maryland, known as Garrett Island for inclusion in the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge;

H.R. 3054, the "District of Columbia Military Retirement Equity Act of 2003," which amends the Policemen and Firemen's Retirement and Disability Act to permit military service previously performed by members and former members of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, the Fire Department of the District of Columbia, the United States Park Police, and the United States Secret Service to count as creditable service for purposes of calculating retirement annuities payable to such members upon payment of a contribution by such members, and for other purposes; and

H.R. 3232, which reauthorizes certain school lunch and child nutrition programs through March 31, 2004.