Text: U.S. Drug Control Budget Announced for Fiscal Year 2001

(Budget boosts support for counter-drug fight in Colombia)  (2160)

President Clinton's fiscal year 2001 drug control budget includes
increased funding for Colombia's fight against narco-traffickers, says
the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).

In a February 7 news release, ONDCP said the Colombia package consists
of a request for emergency appropriations in 2000 of an additional
$954 million and $318 million in fiscal year 2001. Including support
for Colombia, the overall 2001 drug control budget is $19,200 million,
ONDCP said.

Following is the text of the news release:

(Note: In the text "billion" means 1,000 million.)

(begin text)

FY 2001 DRUG CONTROL BUDGET CONTINUES TO BUILD ON SUCCESS
BUDGET PROVIDES $19.2 BILLION FOR DEMAND AND SUPPLY REDUCTION

Proposal Includes Support for Plan Colombia of Additional $954 Million
in FY2000 and $318 Million for FY2001

(Washington, D.C.) -- The Director of the White House Office of
National Drug Control Policy, Barry R. McCaffrey, today highlighted
the President's FY 2001 Drug Control Budget, part of the overall FY
2001 Federal Budget released today.

"This budget continues to build on our successes in stemming both the
demand for and supply of illicit drugs. The budget demonstrates our
strong commitment to fighting drug abuse through a balanced strategy
of prevention, drug treatment, stiff law enforcement, and
international cooperation," said McCaffrey. "This budget represents an
essential investment in our future."

McCaffrey cited several key accomplishments in the nation's fight
against illicit drugs on which this budget will build. "Our most
important success is that we are beginning to meet our number one goal
of driving the demand for drugs downward, especially among our young
people. Drug use among our youth dropped 13 percent in 1998 and
disapproval rates have risen. This is great news and we're enormously
grateful for the time, energy and resources the nation has already
invested."

The President's drug policy director highlighted the continued success
of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign. He stated, "We're
committed to continuing to invest in getting the message out to our
youth and we expect to see youth drug use fall even more dramatically
as we stay focused. We're already reaching 95% of our youth at least
eight times a week. We're confident this investment will have a huge
payoff."

McCaffrey also cited successes in driving down the supply of illicit
drugs. "In the Andean region, we've seen a dramatic drop in the
cultivation of coca in Bolivia and Peru. But, we've got to, do more,"
he stated. "Colombia is in crisis. If we stay focused, at the end of
the day, the supplemental dollars we spend in the Andean region will
be a small down payment as we effect the lives of generations of
children in our nation and in the region."

The drug czar concluded by stating, "Domestically, this budget
continues to fully support the brave men and women of our law
enforcement community while redoubling our focus on treatment and
prevention. This budget represents an increase in treatment dollars of
32 percent from 1996 and an increase in prevention dollars of 52
percent. We're making great progress, but our nation still has to
focus on the unacceptable rate of drug abuse in our society,
particularly among our young people. The FY 2001 National Drug Control
Budget reflects realistic funding levels and warrants the full support
of Congress."

FY 2001 National Drug Control Budget
February 7, 2000

-- Summary: Excluding funding proposed in support of Plan Colombia,
drug control funding recommended for FY 2001 is $18.9 billion, an
increase of $1.4 billion (+8%) over the FY 2000 enacted level. In
addition to these resources, the President's Budget includes an
increase of $1.3 billion over FY 2000 and FY 2001 to support funding
for Plan Colombia and the Andean region.

-- This additional funding for Plan Colombia consists of a request for
emergency appropriations in FY 2000 of $954 million and $318 million
requested as part of the President's FY 2001 Budget. Including funding
to support Plan Colombia, the FY 2001 drug control budget is $19.2
billion.

-- A summary of the drug budget for FY 1998 through FY 2001 is
presented in Figure 1. Also, FY 1999 to FY 2001 spending is summarized
in Table 1 by National Drug Control Strategy goal and function.
Spending by department is highlighted in Table 2.

Table 2: Drug Spending by Department ($ Millions)

FY 99 FY 00 FY 01 FY 00-01 %
Department Actual Estimate Request Change Chang

Defense 974.9 1,005.2 1,029.1 23.8 2.4%
Education 663.2 698.1 750.9 52.8 7.6%
HHS 2,866.1 3,078.9 3,264.8 185.9 6.0%
HUD 310.0 310.0 315.0 5.0 1.6%
Justice 7,398.5 7,443.2 8,236.9 793.7 10.7%
ONDCP 453.2 461.4 496.8 35.4 7.7%
State 489.7 282.8 276.8 (6.0) (2.1%)
Transportation 871.1 631.0 684.9 53.8 8.5%
Treasury 1,756.5 1,499.6 1,688.3 188.7 12.6%
Veterans Affairs 1,041.7 1,111.4 1,155.5 44.1 4.0%
All Other 877.3 978.8 997.5 18.7 1.9%
Subtotal 17,711.2 17,500.6 18,896.4 1,395.9 8.0%

Plan Colombia &
   Andean Region                          954.4       318.1

Total 17,711.2 18,455.0 19,214.5 759.6 4.1%

Support for Plan Colombia & the Andean Region

-- The democratically elected government of Colombian President Andres
Pastrana devised a comprehensive, integrated strategy, Plan Colombia,
to address Colombia's drug and interrelated social and economic
troubles. The Administration proposes $1.6 billion for assistance,
including an increase of $1.3 billion in support of Plan Colombia --
consisting of a FY 2000 emergency supplemental appropriation of $954
million and new FY 2001 funding of $318 million.

-- The program is an integrated combination of funds for Colombian
counterdrug efforts and for other programs to help President Pastrana
strengthen democracy and promote prosperity. The proposal would
enhance alternative development, strengthen the justice system and
other democratic institutions, and provide counterdrug equipment,
training, and technical assistance to Colombian police and military
forces. The Administration is also encouraging U.S. allies and the
international institutions to assist Colombia in implementing
President Pastrana's Plan Colombia.

Major Increases in FY 2001: Supply Reduction

-- Prison Construction: +$420 million (drug-related). This enhancement
is a multi-year project that includes program increases for partial
site and planning of two penitentiaries and three medium security
facilities in FY 2001. Funding is also requested in FY 2001 to
complete the construction of ongoing projects, including one
penitentiary and five medium security facilities. The Bureau of
Prisons (BOP) is experiencing dramatic increases in the number of
inmates due to higher number of prosecutions, particularly drug cases.
This, as well as the recent sharp increase in immigration cases, is
the primary cause of current BOP inmate population growth.

-- Forward Operating Locations (FOLs) -- DoD: $77.9 million. The drug
control budget for the Department of Defense includes these resources
in FY 2001 for restructuring SOUTHCOM's theater counterdrug
architecture, which includes Military Construction funding for FOLs in
Ecuador, Aruba and Curacao. This will reinstate some of the
counterdrug support capabilities that had been resident in U.S.
military bases in Panama.

-- Customs Enforcement Infrastructure Enhancements: +$112.5 million
(drug-related). This funding will continue Customs efforts to shield
America's land, air, and sea frontiers from the drug threat and
provide new funding to enhance and modernize the Customs Air Program.
Funds will be used to purchase additional flight safety systems, as
well as upgrades to radar systems and computer capabilities.

-- Coast Guard's Campaign Steel Web Enhancements: +$43.8 million
(drug-related). These additional resources will support the United
States Coast Guard's drug-interdiction efforts, primarily in the
transit zone region of the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. In
particular, funding will be used to expand the implementation of the
Coast Guard's non-lethal use-of-force initiative that has proven
effective at disabling non-commercial maritime craft used to transport
illicit narcotics.

-- Southwest Border -- INS: +$28.3 million (drug-related). For the
INS, a $24.5 million ($163.3 million drug and non-drug) enhancement is
requested for the Border Patrol. This enhancement includes funding for
an additional 430 Border Patrol agent positions, $3.0 million
(drug-related) to continue deployment of the Border Patrol's
Integrated Surveillance Intelligence System (ISIS) program, and $7.5
million (drug-related) for Border Patrol construction projects. In
addition, the INS request includes $3.8 million (drug-related) for
additional Immigration Inspector positions to staff three new ports
along the southern border.

-- DEA Law Enforcement Support & Financial Management: +$65 million.
This funding will expand several DEA activities, including
infrastructure support for the FIREBIRD system, Southwest Border and
money laundering operations, intelligence capabilities, and financial
management oversight functions. The principle component of this
initiative ($56 million) is for FIREBIRD. FIREBIRD is DEA's primary
office automation infrastructure, which provides essential computer
tools for agents and support staff.

Major Increases in FY 2001: Demand Reduction

-- Stop Drugs -- Stop Crime: +$112 million. In order to break the
cycle of drug use and its consequences, drug-abusing inmates in local,
state and federal correctional systems need access to drug treatment
and supervision. The President's FY 2001 budget includes several
enhancements in support of this effort:

--OJP & ONDCP Support: +$100 million. New funding is requested to help
states and localities implement new systems of drug testing,
treatment, and graduated sanctions for persons under supervision of
the criminal justice system, including prisoners, parolees and
probationers. This funding consists of $75 million provided through
the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and $25 million from ONDCP's
Special Forfeiture Fund. Also, OJP's support includes $25 million
targeted to offenders who are re-entering society.

-- Drug Courts: +$10 million. These additional resources will bring
total funding for the Drug Courts program to $50 million in FY 2001.
This initiative provides alternatives to incarceration through using
the coercive power of the court to force abstinence and alter behavior
with a combination of escalating sanctions, mandatory drug testing,
treatment, and strong aftercare programs.

-- Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) Program: +$2 million.
This funding will continue expansion of the RSAT program. RSAT is a
formula grant program that provides funds to states for state and
local correctional agencies to provide intensive drug treatment to
hardcore drug users before and after they are released from prison.

-- National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign: +$10 million. These
additional resources bring total funding for ONDCP's Media Campaign to
$195 million in federal funds in FY 2001, matched by private sector
contributions. ONDCP, in conjunction with other federal, state, local,
and private experts, is implementing a $2 billion, multi-year national
media campaign, including paid advertisements. The campaign targets
youth, their parents and other influential adults on the consequences
of illicit drug use. The anti-drug media campaign is fully integrated
nationwide, including utilization of television, the Internet, radio,
newspapers, and other media outlets.

-- Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program: +$50 million. These additional
resources include $40 million to expand the interagency Safe
Schools/Health Students initiative, which supports community-wide
prevention activities in conjunction with HHS, the Department of
Justice, and the Department of Labor. Also, the budget includes $50
million to continue the School Coordinator Initiative, started in FY
1999. In FY 2001, this effort will support drug and violence
prevention coordinators in over 1,300 middle schools across the
country to ensure that local programs are effective and link
school-based prevention programs to community-based efforts.

-- Targeted Capacity Expansion (TCE) Program: +$53.8 million. This
additional funding will help the Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration (SAMHSA) expand the availability of drug
treatment in areas of existing or emerging treatment need. Further,
these new resources will enable SAMHSA to provide additional states
with State Incentive Grants. These grants aid in the coordination of
substance abuse prevention funding streams within a state.

-- Substance Abuse Block Grant Program: +$31.0 million ($22 million
drug-related). This increase for SAMHSA's Substance Abuse Block Grant
will provide funding to states for treatment and prevention services.
This program is the backbone of federal efforts to reduce the gap
between those who are actively seeking substance abuse treatment and
the capacity of the public treatment system.

-- Treatment and Prevention Research: +$37.2 million. The FY 2001
budget includes new funding for research conducted by the National
Institutes of Health. Research is the lynchpin of efforts to educate
and enable America's youth to reject drugs and to decrease the health
and social cost of drugs to the American public. Funding supports
activities of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). NIDA
programs include the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials
Network, prevention research, medications and behavioral therapies,
and understanding and preventing relapse.

-- Community Anti-Drug Coalitions: +$5 million. With this enhancement,
total funding for this ONDCP grant program will be $35 million in FY
2001. This initiative provides resources to groups to build and
sustain effective community coalitions that help prevent drug use by
youth. Sustained and comprehensive prevention efforts at the community
level are required to deliver a constant anti-drug message. These
activities include the involvement of local leaders in the areas of
drug prevention, treatment, education, law enforcement, government,
faith, and business.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State)