Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 2005
OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2005 -- (House of Representatives - March 09, 2006)
I appreciate this opportunity to offer an amendment which will strengthen the hand of Congress in the future as we work to protect the most vulnerable children in our society and as we work to deter the abuse of drugs in our culture.
This amendment would provide for two simple actions by ONDCP. First, the amendment would require the director of ONDCP to include in the National Drug Control Strategy statistical data and information to demonstrate and assess trends relating to the effects of illicit drug use on children of substance abusers. This information will assist Congress, as well as States, local governments and private groups, as we work to protect these children.
As we all know, one of the greatest tragedies of drug abuse is the terrible effect these crimes have on the most vulnerable members of society, children. Children of substance abusers are the innocent victims of drug abuse, and research shows that these children are much more likely to become drug abusers themselves when they reach adolescence or adulthood. Congress should do all it can to protect these innocent children, while we have the chance; and no effective National Drug Control Strategy would be complete without considering the effects on children of substance abusers and how we can help prevent the cycle of drug abuse.
We all know from experience that children who have grown up in homes in this sort of condition are much more likely to use drugs themselves. In Arkansas, State, local, and private groups are working hard to assist meth-endangered children, kids, who are some of the most vulnerable, of substance abusers. Several years ago, I visited with a high school young lady whose parent had recently committed suicide as a result of being high on meth. He was a truck driver. He had been on the drug for many, many years; and she was being a model student. There was really nothing, there was no agency, there was no help for her. So, again, I think this is very, very important and something that would be great if we could study and then use that information to go further.
The second part of this amendment requires the director of ONDCP to conduct a study on drug court programs that hold hearings in nontraditional public places, such as schools. As you all know, the mission of a drug court is to provide an alternative to incarceration for nonviolent persons convicted of alcohol or other drug-related charges. In order to reduce demand and deter our kids from getting involved in illegal drugs, we must make sure they understand the consequences of drug abuse. We spend a lot of time and money talking to kids about the repercussions of drug abuse, but this type of program allows us to show them the consequences.
In my congressional district, I have seen firsthand the strong impact that such a program has had on school-age kids. Judge Mary Ann Gunn of the Fourth Judicial District Drug Court in Washington County, Arkansas, has been taking her program into the schools for several years with the strong support of school administrators and the community. She uses the opportunity to visit with students about the drug problem, and it has had a profound effect on many kids. Experience has shown that her program is a strong deterrent for young people, and it strongly promotes demand reduction among our youth.
In conclusion, I urge my colleagues to join me in this effort to reduce the harm experienced by children of substance abusers and to study drug court programs that could be a tremendous deterrent to young people nationwide. These two items may seem small, but they are critical steps in saving future generations from the harm caused by drug abuse.
I commend Chairman SOUDER for his work on this very important bill. I appreciate the hard work that he and his staff and the other members of the committee, both Democrat and Republican, have put into this effort.
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Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Chairman, I thank Mr. Rehberg, and we have really enjoyed working on this. I rise also in strong support. The only reservation I have at all is perhaps 10 percent is not enough. We are dealing with a situation that in Arkansas, started in the Midwest, started in Arkansas, States like that, very rapidly spread across the country.
When I talk to anybody in enforcement in my State, they tell us that 65 to 70 percent of crime in Arkansas now is directly attributed to methamphetamine. Our shelters are full. When you use this drug for an extended period of time you tend to get paranoid. You start beating up your family, and it is at an age when the children are invariably involved because it is in your 20s to 40s.
While I was waiting to come and speak on this, I went in and talked to my MediVac folks who are out there that wanted to tell me about their issues in transporting patients. I mentioned I was going to come here and speak on this bill. They started relating story after story of transporting burn patients, children, men and women that had been injured as they were cooking meth that exploded.
So, again, I appreciate the chairman and ranking member and strongly support the amendment.
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