Richard Pombo: “I am pleased to see that the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act we are debating today is moving steadily toward passage in the…”

“I am pleased to see that the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act we are debating today is moving steadily toward passage in the House of Representatives. This measure, H.R. 5, is long overdue. For too many years, the Federal Government has been forcing regulations down the throats of State and local government officials without providing them with the necessary resources to pay for them. To give an idea of how outrageous this practice has become, the Environmental Protection Agency's own figures state that its rules and regulations cost this Nation $140 billion last year--that is 2.2 percent of our entire gross domestic product. Let me remind my colleagues that this represents the cost of mandates from just one single agency of the Federal Government. The successful passage of H.R. 5 will once-and-for-all end this outrageous, and arrogant, Federal Government practice. While I am disappointed that some in this House have tried to slow down the progress of H.R. 5, I am confident that the overwhelming bipartisan support it enjoys will enable us to make good on our promise with the American people. H.R. 5 is a top priority for those of us who have signed the Contract With America--and we intend to deliver.”