WHEREAS:
Legislative proposals have been put forward by the Bush Administration and by the conservative Republican Study Committee of the U. S. House of Representatives to establish sunset commissions to review federal programs, regulations and agencies to determine whether they should continue, be reorganized or revised, or even be eliminated; and

WHEREAS:
While such proposals may sound harmless, they are an attack on democratic principles because they are designed to allow the Bush administration to force through fundamental changes in government without public participation or full deliberation and debate by the Congress; and

WHEREAS:
Under current proposals, the sunset commissions could deliberate behind closed doors, without public hearings that allow citizens to give input on issues or scrutinize decisions; and

WHEREAS:
The sunset commission recommendations would be packaged into one bill and forced through the Congress under extraordinary fast-track legislative procedures that limit congressional debate, prevent Congress from making changes to commission recommendations, and allow only for an up or down vote on the entire package; and

WHEREAS:
The sunset commission would facilitate a right-wing agenda to downsize or eliminate many programs that serve the public, privatize work performed by federal, state and local government employees and remove or weaken important worker protections including civil rights, workplace health and safety, collective bargaining and prevailing wage rules. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That AFSCME will forcefully oppose legislation to establish sunset commissions.

SUBMITTED BY:Saul Schniderman, President and Delegate AFSCME Council 26 Washington, DC