[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 13 (Monday, January 23, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H478-H479]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


             IN SUPPORT OF THE UNFUNDED MANDATE REFORM ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 4, 1995, the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Norwood] is recognized 
during morning business for 5 minutes.
  Mr. NORWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Unfunded 
Mandate Reform Act. I rise today to argue that the time has come for us 
to reign in the unfunded mandates and the misguided notion under which 
they operate. By voting for this bill, we can show the American people 
that we mean business by reducing the dictatorial power that Congress 
has exercised over the States through unfunded mandates.
  I think we should take a moment to consider the idea of the unfunded 
mandate. In essence, with an unfunded mandate, the Federal Government 
goes to State and local governments and says you must do this, and you 
must pay for it yourself. How incredibly arrogant. How did this 
Government grow so arrogant as to pass such dictates onto the States? 
We can not wisely set the priorities for spending the limited funds a 
county has to operate with. We should not try to micromanage 159 
Georgia counties.
  If we are going to dictate to the States, we must also have the guts 
to raise the taxes that pay for the dictates or mandates--not pass that 
responsibility onto State and county officials. If the Federal 
Government cannot afford these programs, the programs should be passed 
onto the States as strong suggestions--not unfunded mandates.
  But we all know that there is more to the arguments against this bill 
than fear of cutting certain Federal programs. Underneath all that they 
say is a simple refrain--a tired, failed, liberal refrain--that says to 
the people we are the Federal Government, we know what is best for you, 
we are the Federal Government, we must take care of you. Why? Because 
you can't take care of yourself.
  What made us so smart? Do we really believe we want clean air and 
clean water more than the folks at home? How did we become so endowed 
with the knowledge of what is right and what is wrong for America? We 
are simply 435 men and
 women who won elections on November 8. We have the power to pass laws 
that force State action, but we should use that power in moderation. 
Remember the words of 
[[Page H479]] the 10th amendment to the Constitution--``the powers not 
delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by 
it to the States, are reserved to the States, respectively, or to the 
people.'' Those words should not be treated lightly. The goal of the 
10th amendment was to limit the powers of the Federal Government. Could 
we have moved any farther away from the intent of the 10th amendment 
than with unfunded mandates? We should be searching for ways to return 
control to the States and local governments. But when we must use our 
power to write laws that will force State action, we most certainly 
should pay for it.
  The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act is the first important step toward 
reevaluating what Congress should do. It will put us in a position to 
reconsider the value of some of the dictates that have been passed onto 
State and local governments already. Maybe it is a good idea for 
Sheriff Berry of Oconee County, GA, to have to devote one of his few 
officers to stake out convenience stores in an effort to stop 
youngsters from buying cigarettes. Maybe Columbia County, GA, should 
have to meet such rigorous standards in their landfill that it makes 
the cost per acre go up by 1,000 percent. Maybe these unfunded mandates 
are good for the people, but can they afford all of our good ideas? But 
when the sheriff has to cut back patrols in certain areas of his county 
to meet a Federal mandate, or local property taxes go up to pay for 
landfill improvements because of a Federal mandate, do we not have a 
responsibility for our actions?
  The bottom line is that one word--responsibility. Mr. Speaker, the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act will make Congress take responsibility for 
its actions. If we see fit to force the States to act, then we must 
bear the responsibility of paying for that action. This act forces 
Congress to make the hard choices that have been too easily avoided. 
This act will provide much needed relief to State and local 
governments. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5, the Unfunded 
Mandates Reform Act, and return responsibility to Congress.


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