With Congressional Democrats Poised To Pass Record-High Budget Cornyn Says A Sunset Commission To Root Out Wasteful Spending Is Needed More Than Ever
WASHINGTONU.S Sen. John Cornyn R-Texas a member of the Senate Budget Committee today announced the Senate Budget Committee unanimously passed his amendment to the Fiscal Year 2010 budget that would establish a Federal Sunset Commission based on the successful Texas model:
With Congressional Democrats poised to pass a budget that spends taxes and borrows at historically high levels passage of my amendment to establish a Federal Sunset Commission is one bit of sunny news on an otherwise cloudy day. Since June 2007 I have been seeking the support of my colleagues in the Senate to establish this commission based on the successful Texas model.
This bipartisan commission would be tasked with reviewing federal programs determining their efficiency and making recommendations on whether they need reform or should be eliminated all together. Establishing a Federal Sunset Commission would send a loud and clear message to the American people that Congress is serious about reforming reckless Washington spending habits.
As the Democrat-led Congress prepares to pass a budget that will bury future generations in debt the Federal Sunset Commission is needed more than ever to shed sunlight on wasteful government spending."
Sen. Cornyn first introduced the United States Authorization and Sunset Commission Act S.1731 in June 2007. Sen. Cornyn offered this legislation today as an amendment to the budget which would:
• Create an eight member bipartisan Commission made up of four Senators and four Representatives that will look at the effectiveness and efficiency of federal programs and agencies.
• Establish 10 criteria for the Commission to use in developing its schedule and review proposal and its recommendations to Congress on whether agencies and programs should be abolished streamlined consolidated or reauthorized with recommendations for improvements.
• Require the Commission to submit a legislative proposal to Congress at least once every 10 years that includes a review schedule of at least 25 percent of unauthorized federal agencies or programs and at least 25 percent of ineffective federal programs or where effectiveness cannot be shown by the Office of Management and Budgets (OMB) Performance Assessment Rating Tool (PART).
• Call on the Commission to review each of the federal programs and agencies identified in the Schedule and Review proposal. The Commission will provide its findings and submit a legislative proposal necessary to implement their recommendations to Congress and the President every other year. Congress will have two years to consider and pass the Commissions recommendations or to reauthorize the program or agency before it is abolished.
