mr. speaker , i yield myself such time as i may consume . 
mr. speaker , i do appreciate and respect the gentleman from michigan 's joining with the gentlewoman from texas in bringing this issue before the house today . 
i would offer perhaps a different vision or view of the words that the gentleman has spoken . 
i believe that the republican majority did sponsor the legislation for the unfunded mandates act ; however , i believe at the time that was done , there was a general understanding that unfunded mandates would have a threshold that was necessary to be met so that we would have to appropriately understand those items when we would have an unfunded mandate that would be necessary for us to understand what we were placing upon the states or municipalities that we would not then appropriate money to . 
the gentleman is at least correct that the republican majority did introduce this legislation and pass it . 
however , the threshold that was established at that time , now as a result of inflation several years later , we are aware of , and that is why we have made sure to ask the question about what we are imposing on states for this very important issue that is within the jurisdiction of these states , but as a result of the needs of this great nation to address driver 's license inconsistencies and the integrity behind those . 
we believe it is necessary . 
so for the gentleman to bring this point of order with the gentlewoman from texas , purely appropriate , i would remind all of my colleagues that we have addressed this issue , that cbo has been very clear that we do not reach those thresholds which would trigger this sort of point of order . 
so i would ask that my colleagues would pay attention not only to this argument but to understand that we have not violated any rule as it relates to the unfunded mandate . 
mr. speaker , i reserve the balance of my time . 
