Robert Hurt Votes to Increase Transparency of Federal Mandates

Press Release

Congressman Robert Hurt (R-Virginia) released the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 50, the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act of 2015, which would increase transparency about the costs of unfunded federal mandates and hold the federal government accountable for considering those costs before passing them on to local governments and the private sector:

"Each year Washington imposes thousands of mandates on local and state governments and small businesses, which contain hidden costs that stretch state and local budgets and make it more difficult for Virginia businesses to create the jobs we so desperately need. Unlike the federal government, states and localities are legally bound to make the difficult decisions needed to balance their budgets and provide critical services like public safety and good schools. Federal mandates make it much harder for our local communities to hire and keep quality teachers and provide our first responders with the resources they need to protect our citizens. Instead, they are forced to raise taxes on their citizens or reduce services to cope with these federal dictates.

"This legislation takes a positive step toward improving the development of regulations and reducing burdensome and unnecessary mandates on states and localities so they can continue providing vital services without being forced to raise taxes. I was pleased to see this bill pass the House with bipartisan support, and I urge our colleagues in the Senate to pass this bill and continue working with us to implement reforms that ensure the government works effectively for those it serves. I remain committed to ensuring cooperation between all levels of government while minimizing the negative impact the federal government can have on the state and local level."

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