[Page H2482]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   DESIGNATION OF DUANE TOWNSEND AS ACTING INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE 
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE--MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES 
                          (H. DOC. NO. 119-57)

  The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following message 
from the President of the United States; which was read and referred to 
the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and ordered to be 
printed:

To the Congress of the United States: ---------------------------------
    ----------
  I am hereby notifying the Congress that I intend to designate Duane 
Townsend (currently Special Agent in Charge, Department of Commerce, 
Office of the Inspector General) as Acting Inspector General of the 
Department of Commerce, in place of the current Acting Inspector 
General, Roderick Anderson. Such designation will be effective no less 
than 30 days from delivery of this message.
  The Constitution vests ``the executive Power'' in the President, who 
has a duty to ``take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.'' U.S. 
Const., Art. II, Sec.  1, cl. 1; id. at Sec.  3. In exercising that 
power and duty, I have determined that, based on the qualities outlined 
in 5 U.S.C. 403 (a) and the confidence I must place in my appointees, 
Mr. Townsend is the best available person to serve as Acting Inspector 
General of the Department of Commerce at this time. In my judgment, Mr. 
Anderson can better serve the Nation performing other duties (i.e., 
returning to his position as Deputy Inspector General of the Department 
of Commerce).
  I am providing this notification as a courtesy, a show of comity and 
respect between the executive and legislative branches. It should not 
be interpreted as a concession that the Congress can limit my power to 
remove any officer. ``Because no single person could fulfill [the 
President's] responsibilit[ies] alone, the Framers expected that the 
President would rely on subordinate officers for assistance.'' Seila 
Law LLC v. Comsumer Financial ProtectIon Bureau, 591 U.S. 197, 203-204 
(2020). And the Constitution gives the President ``the authority to 
remove those who assist him in carrying out his duties.'' Free 
Enterprise Fund v. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, 561 U.S. 
477, 513-514 (2010). ``Without such power, the President could not be 
held fully accountable for discharging his own responsibilities; the 
buck would stop somewhere else.'' Id. at 514.
  Ultimately, I have determined that the changed priorities of my 
Administration (as compared to the previous one) will be better 
reflected with new leadership in this Office. Therefore, I am apprising 
you of my intention to designate Mr. Townsend as Acting Inspector 
General of the Department of Commerce, effective no less than 30 days 
from delivery of this message.
                                                     Donald J. Trump.  
The White House, June 4, 2025.

                          ____________________