Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, you can't turn on the TV this week without hearing about MIT economist Jonathan Gruber's comments that ObamaCare was passed by exploiting the lack of information given to the American people. In his comments, Gruber, a key architect of the legislation, called the lack of transparency involved in passing ObamaCare ``a huge political advantage.''

President Obama has claimed that his administration is the most transparent administration in history, but statements like Gruber's indicate otherwise.

It is long past time for Congress to require transparency from the executive branch. Earlier this year, a bipartisan majority in the House passed my bill, H.R. 899, the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act, which we call UMITA. This bipartisan legislation would improve transparency and public disclosure of the true costs in dollars and in jobs that Federal dictates pose to the economy.

Asking the Federal Government to disclose the cost of a mandate in addition to its benefits should not be controversial. It is just plain common sense, Mr. Speaker. I call on the Senate to pass UMITA and put transparency back in government.

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