Political Quotes

“the U.S. Conference of Mayors was here last week. Do Members know what their No. 1 concern was? It was unfunded mandates. This week the National Governors Association is in town, and what is their No. 1 concern? Unfunded mandates. When I go home and talk to small business owners, go home and talk to the people who live in my district, do Members know what their No. 1 concern is? It is the unending river of unfunded mandates and regulations coming out of Washington, DC. Many of these come from the EPA. This week Congress will consider whether we should elevate the EPA to Cabinet level status. Think about it, the Clean Air Act, underground storage tank regulations, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Clean Water Act, all of these coming from the EPA, well-intentioned, well-meaning, but many of them have many unfunded mandates. Some of us here in Congress on both sides of the aisle want to offer an amendment this week that will require risk/benefit analysis to stop this silliness. But no, the leaders in Congress are saying we are not allowed to offer the amendment. There is going to be no consideration. There is more democracy today, ladies and gentlemen, in the Moscow City Council than there is here in the Halls of Congress. What do we have to fear by debating and voting on an amendment that the majority of the Members of this Congress want? Mr. Speaker, it is time to take off the muzzle. It is time to have full and open debate about stopping unfunded mandates.”