Hutchison and Shaw receive NCSL award.

• Position: Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison; Representative Clay Shaw; National Conference of State Legislatures

"I'm here because I believe in the 10th Amendment," remarked U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas as she accepted NCSL's annual Restoring the Balance award. Senator Hutchison was presented the award at NCSL's annual Leader to Leader meeting by NCSL Vice-President Indiana Representative Paul Mannweiler. He acknowledged the leadership she has provided on communications and commerce issues as a staunch and consistent defender of state authority and flexibility.

U.S. Representative Clay Shaw of Florida was also honored for his work in advancing not only federal welfare reform legislation, but also subsequent legislation that make essential technical corrections to the 1996 law. The latter eliminated cost shifts to state governments regarding legal immigrant benefits contained in the original legislation and ensured state flexibility with the new welfare block grant. NCSL President-Elect Dan Blue presented the honorary plaque.

Representative Shaw and Senator Hutchison become the ninth and 10th recipients of NCSL's Restoring the Balance award. The award...