I would like all laws to be well written, appropriately and unambiguously. But I am more interested in the spirit of the law than in its wording alone. I don't want executive power abusing the letter of the law by deliberately promoting an understanding that, while it might be defended semantically, clearly goes against what the law was trying to say.

That's what a signing statement does. It says "I deliberately choose to misunderstand, and F you by the way".

Whereas an exchange on the House floor is pretty much saying: do we all understand that this is what we mean? Far better to have it in the text of the law, but if it's not possible for timing reasons, it at least comes before the vote and cannot be compared to a Bush signing statement.

"The womb that spawned that thing is fertile yet"