Hon. Paul E. Gillmor: “this country needs an end to unfunded mandates by the Federal Government on State and local governments. I am delighted…”

“this country needs an end to unfunded mandates by the Federal Government on State and local governments. I am delighted to see that this concept is finally receiving broad support from both the public and from this Congress. I introduced a constitutional amendment a year and a half ago to end those unfunded mandates by constitutional amendment, and what a difference a year and a half makes. When I first proposed it, most people thought there was almost no chance of ever seeing a constitutional amendment voted on or adopted in this body. But after the November election and after increasing concern shown by Governors and State legislators, we have an excellent chance of getting this issue before both Houses and to a vote. There is legislation pending to curtail unfunded mandates by statute. I support that. I cosponsored it last year, and I am cosponsoring it again this year. But the weakness of a statute is that it can be changed by a simple majority vote. And the only real long-term protection is by a constitutional amendment. During my 22 years in the Ohio Senate, including several terms as Senate President, I witnessed a tremendous increase in the cost and the number of mandates being forced on the States. When the States originally ceded power to the Federal Government, they could not have envisioned a situation where State law would be so lightly overthrown and where State funds would be subject to Federal raids.”