Environmental Research Foundation . . P.O. Box 5036, Annapolis, MD 21403 . .
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To subscribe, E-mail the words . . An unfunded mandate is a federal program enacted by Congress, but which must be financed by state or local governments without federal assistance. Examples include requirements that public buildings be made accessible to the handicapped, and requirements for testing drinking water for pesticides. There are now some 20 pieces of legislation floating around Capitol Hill, all aimed in one way or another at outlawing the practice of passing legislation that imposes unfunded mandates. Over the past 40 years, Congress has cut federal taxes on the wealthy and on corporations, thus pushing a larger and larger tax burden onto state and local governments.