[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 137 (Saturday, September 28, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11632-S11633]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       THE NATIONAL DRUG EPIDEMIC

  Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, this past week, in one of many 
revelations about what I have characterized as a national drug epidemic 
in our country in the last 36 months, it is hard to believe the policy 
reversals could lead to such dramatic behavioral changes so quickly.
  The national parents organization called PRIDE, which is 
headquartered in Atlanta, issued a press release this past week. It is 
just stunning. The percent of illicit drug use by 12th graders, annual 
usage is up 43 percent; monthly usage is up 67 percent; weekly, 88 
percent; daily use, up 147 percent. These are 12th graders.
  Percent of illicit drug use by 6th to 12th graders, from 1987-88 to 
1995-96, annual use up 58 percent; monthly, 72 percent; weekly, 88 
percent; daily use, 126 percent.
  It just goes on and on. This, of course, tracks the report issued by 
our own Government within the last several months, except this is even 
more alarming and more comprehensive.
  To read one quote from Doug Hall, who is the executive director of 
this prestigious organization, he says, ``This is not so-called 
recreational use. This is marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, and 
amphetamines. This is not experimentation. This is monthly, weekly, and 
daily drug use. This is a human tragedy.''
  What is irritating about this is that our Attorney General has said 
very recently, drug use is really getting better. The Attorney General 
needs to read this report. The administration needs to read this 
report. The last thing we need is a message to our children, or to the 
parents who guide them, that things are better off. They are not. They 
are worse off. And they are dramatically worse.
  What does this mean? Does it mean that all these increases, that 16 
people are using it instead of 8? What this means is 2 million 
teenagers are now ensnared in drug cultures who would not have been, 
had we continued to pursue the programs that have proved so effective 
from 1980 to 1992.
  This is an article from Investors Business Daily. It came out this 
past week. It says, the headline, ``The Drug Study You'll Never See.'' 
Subheadline, ``Buried Drug Study.''
  This study, of which a very limited number of copies exist, was 
uncovered by the media. I am going to read just several paragraphs from 
this:

       GOP Presidential candidate Bob Dole says Bill Clinton's 
     ``liberal policies'' have failed to stem a surge of illegal 
     drug use over the past three years.
       President Clinton and his allies say Dole is just playing 
     politics with the issue to improve his chances in the 
     election.
       The Dole camp may be right. And, what's more, the Clinton 
     team seems to know it.
       The Clinton administration has squelched a politically 
     embarrassing study that its own Defense Department 
     commissioned two years ago. The study shows that drug 
     interdiction--seizing and destroying illegal drugs before 
     they get into the country--works to cut down use.
       And that contrasts sharply with the President's preference 
     for funding addict treatment programs over law enforcement.

  It goes on and describes the shutdown of the drug war that was 
underway from 1980 to 1992. Just to name a few:

       Clinton used the Rand study to support a ``controlled 
     shift'' of anti-drug money and manpower from drug 
     interdiction to treatment. As part of that shift:
       [They] cut the drug office staff by 80 percent.
       Military resources for stopping traffickers in transit were 
     cut almost half, by 1995 . . .
       Coast Guard interdiction funding dropped almost one-third, 
     from $443.9 million in 1992.
       Meanwhile, Clinton delivered on his promise to increase 
     treatment spending, which grew by 21.5 percent.

  I am an admirer of General McCaffrey, the new drug czar. But these 
allegations are very serious, that his office prevented the 
distribution of this report, and I am very hopeful that he will come 
forward and allay our concerns that that actually happened.
  The point is, we have a Government study from HHS which documents 
that drug use has doubled in the last 36 months, has increased 33 
percent in the last 12 months. We have this PRIDE report, which shows 
that it is getting worse at every level and that it is not fun and 
games. This is hard use that is increasing. We have a reported 
allegation of a serious study that points out that the interdiction and 
enforcement policies were not working. Certainly, the empirical 
evidence of what has happened over the last 36 months suggests that 
would be the case, and now a suggestion that this report was hidden.
  Mr. President, this is serious business, and the drug czar's office 
must clarify for the American people what the circumstances were 
surrounding this report that has been denied public access.
  There was recently a little-noted argument with regard to the growing 
crescendo about what is going on here with regard to increased teenage 
use of drugs of all kinds. But we have now a report, which I think the 
White House is going to have to clarify, that President Clinton has 
pardoned some six to seven drug dealers. The names are now public:
  David Christopher Billmaier, New Mexico, sentenced in 1980, has now 
been pardoned. He was sentenced on possession with intent to distribute 
amphetamines, and he has been pardoned by the President;

[[Page S11633]]

  Carl Bruce Jones, western district of Missouri, charged with 
distribution of marijuana, use of a telephone in distribution of 
marijuana, has been offered a Presidential pardon;
  Candace Deon Leverenz, northern district of California, date of 
sentence, 1972, unlawful distribution of LSD, pardoned by the 
President;
  Susan Lauranne Prather, western district of Arkansas, charged with 
causing marijuana to be transported through the mail, pardoned;
  Patricia Anne Chapin, western district of Missouri, falsifying 
prescription for a controlled substance, pardoned by the President;
  Jackie A. Trautman, northern district of Ohio, sentenced in 1992. 
Unclear whether this is original or reduced sentence. Probably the 
latter. Thirty-three months imprisonment, conspiracy to distribute 
cocaine, pardoned by the President.
  Johnny Palacios, middle district of Florida, 71 months imprisonment, 
conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, pardoned.
  Mr. President, as we are now learning, there is a massive program on 
the part of the administration to accelerate the naturalization of 
citizens. The objective is to naturalize 1.3 million applicants during 
this fiscal year, reminding ourselves that last year it was 450,000.
  The problem with speeding this up is that the FBI checks are not 
completed, and we have now certified that at least 5,000 are guilty of 
crimes, murder and rape amongst them.
  This all goes together, and, Mr. President, the message here is 
probably the most important thing with the pardons and with the change 
in policy, this cavalier approach of the President in saying on MTV 
when asked, ``Would you inhale if you had a second chance?'' ``Yes, I 
would. I should have the first time.''
  The message that sends to 8-year-olds, 10-year-olds, 11 and 12, the 
most vulnerable of our populations, is that it is OK and it is not 
dangerous.

  The result is in, and it is tragic, it is epidemic, and it is deadly 
serious. My message to parents is, you better be talking to your 
children. They are in a drug-infested environment, I don't care where 
they live. The first line of defense before we can turn this program 
back, which the Congress will have to do, with or without the help of 
the administration, is for parents and policymakers and businesses and 
colleagues at home to warn their friends and neighbors and sons and 
daughters.
  Mr. President, I yield back any time remaining, and I suggest the 
absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  (The remarks of Mr. Stevens pertaining to the introduction of S. 2156 
are located in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills 
and Joint Resolutions.'')

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