House Government Reform and Oversight Committee Condemns Clinton Anti-Drug Efforts

ON CAPITOL HILL April 1996

The House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight has released a report critical of President Clinton's drug strategy (Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, National Drug Policy: A Review of the Status of the Drug War, March 1996 [draft]).

The report recommends greater emphasis and funding be given to interdiction strategies, and is critical of Clinton's cuts in funding and staff of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

The 118-page report summarizes testimony given during five hearings before the Subcommittee on National Security, International Affairs and Criminal Justice and the findings of a trip led by the Coast Guard to Caribbean transit zones in 1995.

The report concludes that youth drug use and corresponding crime have been increasing. At the current trajectory, violent crime rates will double by the year 2010. President Clinton, the report states, has shown no interest in using his influence to control the drug problem. Clinton's lack of attention has contributed to the increase in drug use by youths and to the falling street price for drugs.

The Committee recommends that President Clinton emphasize prevention and interdiction programs and funding and minimize treatment strategies. The report also recommends that the Office of National Drug Control Policy be re-funded and staffed at Bush-administration levels. [Clinton has sent a request to Congress to restore that funding and staff to the office.] The Committee also asked Clinton to express full support for the ONDCP Director and for zero-tolerance drug prevention strategies.

[To obtain a copy of this report, contact the Committee Document Room at 202-225-3456. Ask for document #104-486. There is no charge.]