[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 146 (Saturday, October 8, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 8, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
      THE FEDERAL RELIEF FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT OF 1994

                                 ______


                            HON. ROB PORTMAN

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 7, 1994

  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, this week the Government Operations 
Committee, on which I serve, voted 35-4-1 to report H.R. 5128, the 
Federal Relief for State and Local Government Act of 1994, to the full 
House. This legislation is an excellent first step toward ending 
Congress' practice of imposing costly unfunded mandates on State and 
local governments. I urge the leadership to permit full House debate 
and a vote on this legislation before we adjourn. State and local 
governments need Congress to take action now, not later.
  This very moment, the full Senate is in the process of considering a 
companion bill. Both House and Senate bills would bring some 
accountability and honesty to a practice that, quite frankly, has 
gotten out of hand. By requiring CBO to provide cost estimates on the 
impact of mandates on State and local governments, committees to 
authorize financial assistance to cover the costs of mandates to States 
and localities, and committees to identify the sources of funding for 
such mandate costs, Congress will have taken a long step toward ending 
unfunded mandates.
  The legislation also sets up an advisory commission to make 
recommendations to Congress regarding the value of existing mandates 
and whether they should be eliminated or changed. Finally, the bill 
gives us information with respect to the impact of mandates on the 
private sector.
  This legislation has the strong support of State and local 
governments nationwide. House and Senate committees have also reported 
the legislation on a bipartisan basis for consideration by the full 
House and Senate. The full Senate is in the process of considering this 
legislation. I urge the full House to act now.

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