Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I rise in reluctant opposition to the amendment of the gentleman from Oregon [Mr. Cooley]. I know what many on this side of the aisle and Members on the other side of the aisle feel is that this bill does not go far enough, that we really should be looking back and taking a look at all of the myriad mandates that we have imposed on State and local governments over the years. Title I of this bill is a first effort to do that, to say yes, we need to review where we stand. We need to look at what is on the books. We need to assess what has been the impact, what is the cumulative impact. I think there is no question that we can say 1 mandate is not too much, 2 is not too much, but 176 unfunded mandates clearly is too much, so I think the gentleman is certainly on the right track. However, Mr. Chairman, I would say that this language that is in the bill does represent a compromise that was effected, and which was actually fashioned in the Committee on Rules to address this very issue. Mr. Chairman, I think it is fair to say that this would be a killer amendment. It is a strengthening amendment, there is no question about that, but I think it strengthens the bill too much to survive. For that reason, I would have to oppose the amendment.”