WHEREAS, the national debt has increased to alarming levels, and,

WHEREAS, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) there is more than $310 billion of unauthorized appropriations for fiscal year 2016, spanning 256 laws and 15 House authorizing committees, and

WHEREAS, over half – or $160 billion – of the unauthorized appropriations are for programs whose authorization expired more than 10 years ago, and

WHEREAS, House Rule XXI, clause 2(a)(1) states, “An appropriation may not be reported in a general appropriation bill, and may not be in order as an amendment thereto, for an expenditure not previously authorized by law, except to continue appropriations for public works and objects that are already in progress,” and

WHEREAS, it is sound fiscal policy to sunset all unauthorized programs over a three year period, and require any new authorizations or reauthorizations to include a sunset clause.

THEREFORE, LET BE IT BE RESOLVED, the legislature of {insert state} supports eliminating unauthorized federal spending and believes it to be sound budget policy that would benefit hardworking taxpayers across America.

THEREFORE, LET IT FURTHER BE RESOLVED, that the legislature of {insert state} supports placing all discretionary programs on a reauthorization schedule and phasing out funding for those programs that Congress fails to reauthorize.