[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 6 (Tuesday, February 1, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 1, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                           UNFUNDED MANDATES

  (Mr. BOEHNER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, the U.S. Conference of Mayors was here last 
week. Do Members know what their No. 1 concern was? It was unfunded 
mandates. This week the National Governors Association is in town, and 
what is their No. 1 concern? Unfunded mandates.
  When I go home and talk to small business owners, go home and talk to 
the people who live in my district, do Members know what their No. 1 
concern is? It is the unending river of unfunded mandates and 
regulations coming out of Washington, DC.
  Many of these come from the EPA. This week Congress will consider 
whether we should elevate the EPA to Cabinet level status. Think about 
it, the Clean Air Act, underground storage tank regulations, the Safe 
Drinking Water Act, the Clean Water Act, all of these coming from the 
EPA, well-intentioned, well-meaning, but many of them have many 
unfunded mandates.
  Some of us here in Congress on both sides of the aisle want to offer 
an amendment this week that will require risk/benefit analysis to stop 
this silliness. But no, the leaders in Congress are saying we are not 
allowed to offer the amendment. There is going to be no consideration.
  There is more democracy today, ladies and gentlemen, in the Moscow 
City Council than there is here in the Halls of Congress. What do we 
have to fear by debating and voting on an amendment that the majority 
of the Members of this Congress want?
  Mr. Speaker, it is time to take off the muzzle. It is time to have 
full and open debate about stopping unfunded mandates.

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