[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 4 (Monday, January 9, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H151]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     INCLUDE UNFUNDED MANDATE LANGUAGE IN BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT

  (Ms. McCARTHY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, as the immediate past president of the 
National Conference of State Legislatures, I am very concerned that our 
move toward a balanced Federal budget could result in more unfunded 
mandates for the States, if Congress decides not to reduce program 
services to march reduced expenditures.
  Any reductions in the Federal share of funding for mandated programs 
would seriously increase the fiscal burdens on the States.
  I agree with the National Conference of State Legislatures that the 
Federal Government should not attempt to accomplish national goals 
through unfunded mandates on State and local governments.
  The NCSL has proposed amendment language to the pending balanced 
budget measure now before the Judiciary Committee which states that:

       Except as necessary to enforce obligations to individuals 
     under amendments to this Constitution, Congress shall not 
     impose any obligations upon the States without providing the 
     funds necessary for compliance; nor shall Congress impose any 
     conditions upon spending grants to the States unless such 
     conditions are necessary to specify the manner in which the 
     funds are expended.

  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to include this language in the 
balanced budget amendment.

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