[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 143 (Thursday, September 14, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S13576]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


           THE NEED TO SUSTAIN U.S. COUNTERNARCOTICS PROGRAMS

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I have become increasingly concerned 
about the direction that our drug policy is taking. Not only has the 
present administration largely retreated on doing something meaningful 
to deal with illegal drug use, increasingly some in Congress seem to be 
catching this indifference. The result has been a steady erosion in our 
efforts to stop the flow of illegal drugs to the United States. Along 
with the cuts there seems to be an attitude that nothing works. Not 
only is this belief wrong, it has serious consequences.
  According to Justice Department figures, there has been a steep 
decline in our interdiction of cocaine shipments in the past several 
years. This has resulted in an increase of at least 70 metric tons of 
additional cocaine on our streets. We have seen a drop in cocaine 
prices while purity has gone up. And now, we are seeing a disturbing 
increase in heroin imports and a rise in addiction. More seriously, we 
have seen attitude toward drug use shift among the most at-risk 
population--the Nation's young people. In just the last 3 years, 
surveys of attitudes of high school kids show a shift away from 
regarding drug use as bad, reversing a decade of decline in favorable 
attitudes. Moreover, recent polls indicate that high schoolers 
increasingly see drug availability and use among their peers as one of 
the most serious problems that they face.
  And now we see yet more disturbing news that confirms the trend. The 
recent Household Survey released by Health and Human Services shows 
that drug use is on the rise, especially the use of marijuana, after a 
decade of decline. This is the consequence of President Clinton's drug 
strategy, which is to replace ``Just Say No'' with ``Just Say 
Nothing.'' What is even more disturbing is that the biggest increases 
coming among junior high and high school aged children. In those aged 
12 to 17, the rate of illegal drug use increased from 6.6 to 9.5 
percent. Coupled with reported changes in youth attitudes toward drug 
use, the trend is a sad reflection of what has happened in just a few 
short years. This age group is the most vulnerable population for 
potential drug use, and this has become the forgotten generation in our 
retreat from the drug issue.
  Despite what many critics have argued, our counter-drug efforts were 
a success. Between 1985 and 1992, overall drug use declined by 50 
percent, cocaine use by more than 70 percent. These are dramatic 
changes that reflect a major shift in public attitudes and patterns of 
behavior. Similar shifts in other areas of public concern--a 50 percent 
reduction in crime, for example--would hardly be regarded as failure. 
Yet, this is the way our efforts are commonly portrayed. This 
misinformation is then used to support decreases in the efforts that
 contributed to this progress. The results of the erosion of our 
efforts can be seen in increased drug use among the young and 
disturbing changes in attitudes that bode ill for the future.

  This is not a fact lost on the public. While we in Washington seem to 
have forgotten the issue, the American public has not. A recent poll 
indicates that more than 80 percent of the public regard stopping the 
flow of illegal drugs to the United States as the number one foreign 
policy concern. In addition, more than 70 percent of the public 
consistently opposes legalization of illegal drugs. We make a great 
mistake in ignoring our past successes or our present failure to live 
up to our continuing responsibility that we have to do everything in 
our power to combat illegal drug trafficking and use.
  I have recently become the chairman of the Senate Caucus on 
International Narcotics Control. I have accepted this responsibility 
because I am concerned about the direction, or rather the 
directionlessness, of our present efforts. We lack both the practical 
and moral leadership on this issue that are essential to maintaining 
our past successes. We in Congress have a substantial responsibility to 
represent the public interest on this issue. We need to insist on 
accountability. I plan to work with other Members of Congress to 
oversee the administration's efforts and to insist on consistent, well-
conceived programs. I intend to work for adequate funding and 
attention, and to remind my colleagues of the continuing need to 
sustain effective counterdrug efforts.
  I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. DeWine). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. DOLE. Let me indicate to my colleagues that the reason we are not 
doing anything on the floor is that we are having some negotiations. It 
is my understanding--I know we will present to Senator Daschle, the 
Democratic leader, a proposal here in the next few moments.

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