[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 35 (Thursday, March 14, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H2308-H2309]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  A REPORT OF FAILURE IN WAR ON DRUGS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Florida [Mr. Mica] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MICA Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor this afternoon to talk 
about a report issued by one of the subcommittees on which I serve. I 
serve on the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight. The 
Subcommittee on National Security, International Affairs, and Criminal 
Justice has just released this report entitled ``The National Drug 
Policy: A Review of the Status of the Drug War.'' I am here to tell my 
colleagues that this is the review of a trail of tears. This is a 
review of a trail

[[Page H2309]]

of failure. It really talks about one of the greatest failures of this 
administration, and that is to ignore and to not address the drug 
problem and plague that is facing our Nation.
  Let me say that President Clinton really has abandoned America and 
failed miserably in the fight against drugs during his first 3 years in 
office. In fact, if we look at what he did, first of all he cut the 
drug interdiction budget.
  Then we talked about cuts in the White House. He ended up cutting 85 
percent of the drug policy staff in the White House. Then he cut 
funding for DEA agents. That is part of what is detailed in this 
record.
  Mr. Speaker, his lack of leadership on this issue in fact is 
appalling. The results should be sobering to every American. Listen to 
these facts in this report: Under President Clinton's watch, drug 
prosecution has dropped 12.5 percent in the past 2 years. After 11 
years of drug use declining among high school seniors, the number of 
12th graders using drugs on a monthly basis has increased 65 percent 
just since President Clinton has taken office.
  A September 1995 survey shows that drug abuse in kids 12 to 17 jumped 
50 percent in just 1994. This report also shows that marijuana use 
among 12- to 17-year-olds has doubled from 1992 to 1994, and heroin use 
by teenagers is up. Emergency room visits by heroin users rose 31 
percent between 1992 and 1993 alone.
  We might say, why? And I say, it is no wonder, when we look at the 
leadership that has been provided here. First of all, what did the 
President do? He appointed Joycelyn Elders, and she did not make a drug 
use and drug abuse a priority. In fact, she talked about legislation. 
In fact Mrs. Elders said, ``I do not feel that we would markedly reduce 
our crime rate if drugs were legalized.'' This is outrageous.
  Mrs. Reagan, when she was the First Lady, instituted the theme of 
just say no. The Clinton administration has a new message, and that 
message has been just say maybe. And it has created a disaster. Again, 
it is outlined by this.
  The emphasis and the money have flowed to treatment. What is the end 
product of all this? It is people that are using drugs. So we are 
putting our emphasis and money on treatment. Even a Rand study that the 
administration in fact touted finds that only 4 percent of heavy 
cocaine users who go through the treatment cut back on their use of 
cocaine. So we find where the administration is spending taxpayer 
money, in fact it is not having results.
  Mr. Speaker, this administration destroyed a drug interdiction 
program. We have cut funding, we have cut emphasis, and we made 
ourselves the laughing stock of the Andean region.

                              {time}  1600

  With our drug control strategy already in disarray in 1994, the 
administration suddenly reversed its practice of sharing intelligence 
and radar equipment to attack narco-terrorist planes. Colombia, Peru, 
and Bolivia where almost 100 percent of the world's cocaine is produced 
was betrayed by this reversal of U.S. policy. Only after a chorus of 
Congress expressed its outrage did the administration change it policy, 
but the damage was done.
  And then finally what did we do? We certified Mexico. I participated 
in drafting the certification language when I was a member of the staff 
of the other body, and this is a disgrace. DEA confirms that 70 percent 
of the cocaine coming into the United States comes from Mexico. So this 
is a record of disaster.

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