Political Quotes

“In November the American people clearly demonstrated their disgust with outlandish spending, skyrocketing taxes, and a lack of responsiveness from Congress. The new Republican majority is working hard to eliminate many of the business-as-usual policies and practices of the past, including the onerous burden of unfunded mandates. The burden of unfunded Federal mandates has become an albatross for many State and local governments and impacts nearly every community at some level. As a former Montgomery County commissioner in Pennsylvania and a former member of the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, I have seen firsthand the devastating financial effects such unfunded programs have had on municipal, county, and State budgets. If the Congress really believes in a program, then the Congress should pay for that program. We can no longer pass the buck on to others. The practice has to end here and now. Honest reform and accountable government are not only what the public wants to see, they are the right things to do. The American people are sick of legislation which uses smoke and mirrors and accomplishes nothing. We need effective reform, which clearly marks the 104th Congress as different from the rest. Ending unfunded Federal mandates should be at the top of this list.”