Western Governors have offered recommendations to amend House and Senate rules and drafting conventions to strengthen the state-federal relationship.
When states are inappropriately treated by the federal government as stakeholders, rather than co-regulators, it results in fewer opportunities to provide meaningful input during the development of federal rules and policies.
The Sept. 26, 2018 outreach to Congressional leadership urges the authors and sponsors of federal legislation to carefully consider states’ sovereign authority in the context of their proposals and recognize the principles of federalism.
“Recognition that states are co-sovereigns with distinct legal authorities will better align federal legislation with the principles of federalism and our Constitution,” states the letter signed by WGA Chair Hawaii Gov. David Ige and WGA Vice Chair North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. “It will also produce federal policy that is more effective, economic, and durable and will have meaningful, enduring impacts on the state-federal relationship and empower us to better serve our common constituencies.”
The letter also noted previous recommendations sent to the Speaker’s intergovernmental Task Force in an April 18, 2018 letter.
Read, download the letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi
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