Statement by the Press Secretary: President Signs Bills

On Thursday, April 4, 2002, the President signed into law:

H.R. 1499, "District of Columbia College Access Improvement Act of 2002" which expands the eligibility criteria for tuition assistance for District of Columbia residents under the District of Columbia College Access Act of 1999;

H.R. 2739, which authorizes the Secretary of State to initiate a plan to endorse and obtain observer status for Taiwan at the May 2002 annual summit of the World Health Assembly;

H.R. 3985, which authorizes certain binding arbitration disputes regarding the leasing of reservation lands of the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona to be under the jurisdiction of Federal courts rather than tribal courts.