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Show Orrin Hatch co-sponsors Sunset Bill Sen. Orrin G. Hatch predicts the Senate will approve legislation which establishes a procedure to terminate bureaus, agencies and commission of the federal government "which can no longer justify their existence." S.2, the Sunset Bill, is co-sponsored by Sen. Hatch, and introduced by Sen. Edmund S. Muskie (D-Maine). There are over GO additional co-sponsors. The measure sets forth a five-year schedule for review and reauthorization of all federal programs and terminates those not specifically reauthorized by Congress. Not all federal agency budgets will start on the sunset schedule at the same time. This will allow budgets to come to Congress on a rotating basis, rather than all at the same time. "There is a review process for each agency which must be completed before future funding can be authorized for the specific agency or bureau. In this way we will have continuous oversight of the bureaucracy and can cut funding, increase funding, or end funding to an agency that has lost all or part of its usefulness," Sen. Hatch said. "This is a very worthwhile step forward for Congress in its quest to once again get control of the bureaucracy." "All tax expenditures of the government will be categorized on a spending schedule. Any spending measure will then have to have authorization by Congress before one dime can be spent. In this way Congress can be responsible for all expenditures, and the expenditures will thus be subject to review by the " people at the polling places' on election elec-tion day", Hatch said. "I am convinced this legislation is in keeping with the desire of my fellow Utahns to get this bureaucracy under control. In fact the Utah Legislature was one of the first in the union to take take up sunset legislation and pass such a bill. S.2 is not unlike the principles approved at home," said Hatch. |