BILL REQ. #:  H-1612.1 

Read first time 02/15/11.   Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

     TO THE HONORABLE BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:
     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:
     WHEREAS, The growing federal budget deficit threatens the development and vitality of the economy of the United States, the functioning of the federal and state governments, the fiscal health of our communities, and the continuation of the government services and programs necessary to ensure the well-being of the people of this state and this nation; and
     WHEREAS, The reduction of the federal deficit requires that the President of the United States and Congress work together to create an efficient legislative process for the identification and rescission of budgetary requests that are excessive or unnecessary; and
     WHEREAS, The Governor of the State of Washington has been granted the authority to veto individual budgetary items proposed by the state legislature and in the exercise of this authority has succeeded in reducing unnecessary spending at the state level; and
     WHEREAS, United States Senate Bill S.102, the "Reduce Unnecessary Spending Act of 2011," creates an expedited legislative procedure by which the President can review congressional legislation, identify those budgetary items that should be rescinded, and return the legislation to Congress for further consideration of the fiscal impacts of such legislation and the President's rescission proposals; and
     WHEREAS, The expedited budgetary rescission procedure set forth in Senate Bill S.102 will significantly improve the budgetary decision making of the executive and legislative branches of the federal government by subjecting proposed legislation to an additional layer of fiscal scrutiny;     
     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that Congress pass Senate Bill S.102, the "Reduce Unnecessary Spending Act of 2011," and thus take a major step towards making budgetary decisions that will more effectively address the serious fiscal and economic issues currently being faced by our governmental institutions and the people of the United States.
     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Barack Obama, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.