The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act: Opportunities for Improvement to Support State and Local Governments
Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management
Location: SD-342, Dirksen Senate Office Building
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Member Statements
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Chairman James Lankford R (OK)Download Statement (191.8 KB)
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Ranking Member Heidi Heitkamp D (ND)Download Statement (126.1 KB)
Agenda
The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA) was originally conceived to ensure that congressional deliberation and agency regulation took into account the costs to state and local governments to implement new requirements. Since that time, concerns have been expressed about the efficacy of the legislation, inconsistency in the application of its requirements, and inadequacy of agency consultation with state and local governments. The Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act of 2015 (UMITA) House committee report states that it aims to “improve the quality of Congressional deliberations and enhance the ability of Congress, federal agencies, and the public to identify federal mandates that may impose undue harm on state, local, and tribal governments and the private sector.” This hearing examined the effectiveness of UMRA by getting the perspective of state and local governments on the challenges they face as they implement congressional and agency mandates.
Witnesses
Panel I
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The Honorable Virginia FoxxU.S. House of Representatives
Panel II
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The Honorable Curtis S. BrambleDownload Testimony (180.4 KB)President, National Conference of State Legislaturesand Senator, Utah State Senate
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The Honorable Bryan DeslogeDownload Testimony (1.51 MB)First Vice President, National Association of Countiesand Commissioner, Leon County, Florida
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Paul Posner, Ph.D.Download Testimony (218.3 KB)Director, Center for Public Service at George Mason Universityand Former Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, U.S. Government Accountability Office
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Richard J. Pierce, Jr.Download Testimony (277.6 KB)Lyle T. Alverson Professor of LawThe George Washington University Law School