Trent Lott: “this is good legislation--trying to have a process to get some control on the incredible burden of Federal unfunded…”

“this is good legislation--trying to have a process to get some control on the incredible burden of Federal unfunded mandates. It has broad support at the local level --the mayors, county commissioners, Governors, and the private sector. All across America people are saying this needs to be done and asking, ``Will you not at least have a process to look at the burden that is being created by Federal unfunded mandates, the burdens you are passing to individuals and to county and city governments, the taxes you are putting on people?'' This is good legislation. It has had broad support, building over a period of months--in fact, years. I understand there are 62 or more cosponsors of this legislation. Republicans and Democrats have joined together in drafting this legislation. We had the bill last year. The bill that got to the final hours of the session last year has been improved on. Changes have been made that make it better. It has been brought to the floor with this broad base of support across the country and in this Chamber. Even the President, last night in his remarks, singled this out and said we may have some disagreements and maybe some improvements can be made, but this is something that we can have and he supports it. Great. We are going to find things we can work together on, such as congressional accountability, line-item veto, unfunded mandates. We are making progress. The American people are going to be the beneficiaries. We are working together.…”