Tony Thurmond: “I was pleased to cosponsor S. 1, the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995, a bill to curb the practice of imposing…”

“I was pleased to cosponsor S. 1, the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995, a bill to curb the practice of imposing unfunded Federal mandates on States and local governments. This is an important piece of legislation, and I am delighted it has passed. I wish to commend our majority leader, Senator Dole, and all the others who joined on this bill as cosponsors. I especially wish to commend Senator Dirk Kempthorne, the Republican manager of the bill, and Senator John Glenn, the Democrat manager. Senator Kempthorne is a new Senator, yet he managed this bill as if he were a veteran of 20 years. He artfully handled it with great skill and much grace. We are very proud of his efforts. I predict this bill is going to bring great results to this Government, and I look forward to those results in the years ahead. Mr. President, over 1 year ago, in October 1993, thousands of mayors, county commissioners, and Governors met in front of their town halls, court houses, and State houses and gathered here in Washington to speak out against, what is popularly described as, the unfunded mandates issue.”