On the recordMay 19, 1998
I paid very close attention to my dear friend's explanation, but the provision of the Dreier amendment really distorts the underlying purpose of the unfunded mandate bill. It used to focus on whether or not there was a mandate. Now, under the Dreier amendment, it focuses on whether it is a tax bill and how the funds from the tax bill would be handled. If Members choose to give a tax break to someone else, the issue of a mandate on a private business does not get debated in the House. The purpose of the unfunded mandate bill is very simple. It calls upon Congress to look and see how it affects that private business. And, therefore, if we raise a tax on that business and we do not use it to help those types of businesses, but give it back in tax relief, then it is not an unfunded mandate but it still hurts that private person who we are trying to protect. This is not a tax bill, it is an unfunded mandate bill.
Source
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