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December 11, 2007
While Visiting the Office of National Drug Control Policy, President Bush Should Have Explained Why He Vetoed Its Funding
Today, President Bush visited the Office of National Drug Control Policy to discuss the latest report by the Monitoring the Future Program. Before the President touts the accomplishments of this vital program, perhaps he should explain to them why he put the program at risk by vetoing its funding.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse Report Released Today, Teen Use of Dangerous Painkillers Is Still A Growing Problem…... According to a newly released national study, to be unveiled by President Bush, teen drug use continues to decline overall, however that progress does not extend to powerful prescription painkillers, such as OxyContin and Vicodin. The report found that highly addictive narcotic painkillers that imitate morphine remain as popular as ever among the nearly 50,000 teens surveyed. [USA Today, 12/11/07]
* ……Unfortunately, The President Vetoed Funding for the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Administrator of the Program That Released the Study. The Monitoring the Future Program is funded by a series “investigator-initiated competing research grants” from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Funding to the National Institute on Drug Abuse was put in jeopardy after the President vetoed the Labor – Health and Human Services – Education spending bill. House and Senate negotiators agreed to give the Institute $1.025 Billion, a $23 million increase from last year’s level. Research for Monitoring the Future is conducted at the Survey Research Center in the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. [House Report 110-424 - To accompany H.R. 3043, 11/5/07]
* Democrats Sought Increased Funding for the Drug Enforcement Agency and Narcotics Crime Prevention. The Senate passed Commerce-Justice-Science appropriations bill added 2.1 billion for the Drug Enforcement Agency, which is $40 million more than the President’s request and $124.6 million more than fiscal 2007. In addition, the Senate passed bill allocated $725 million for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Program).
The Senate stands in recess for pro forma sessions only, with no business conducted on the following days and times: Friday, December 12 at 10:00 a.m.; Tuesday, December 16 at 11:00 a.m.; Friday, December 19 at 10:00 a.m.; Tuesday, December 23 at 11:00 a.m.; Friday, December 26 at 11:00 a.m.; Tuesday, December 30 at 10:30 a.m.; and Friday, January 2 at 10:00 a.m.
At the close of the pro forma Session on January 2, 2009, the Senate will stand adjourned sine die.
