[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 49 (Wednesday, April 26, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S2944]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. GRASSLEY:
  S. 2473. A bill to strengthen and enhance the role of community 
antidrug coalitions by providing for the establishment of a National 
Community Antidrug Coalition Institute; to the Committee on the 
Judiciary.


  legislation establishing the national community coalition institute

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, today, I am introducing legislation that 
would give support to community antidrug coalitions nation-wide. The 
National Community Coalition Institute would strengthen and enhance the 
role of community coalitions, to reduce and prevent drug use in 
communities.
  More specifically, one of the problems we have found in implementing 
the Drug Free Communities Program has been the inexperience of a lot of 
the communities, particularly smaller and rural ones in knowing how to 
evaluate their efforts; get information on best practices from other, 
successful coalitions, and on how to fill out grant applications. The 
National Community Coalition Institute would improve the effectiveness 
of community coalitions by providing state-of-the-art and widely 
available education, training, and technical assistance for coalition 
leaders and community teams. The National Community Coalition Institute 
would ensure that communities nation-wide are adequately prepared to 
undertake the important work of building drug free communities.
  Ultimately, the fight against drugs cannot be successful if it does 
not start in our own backyards. I invite all of my colleagues to join 
me in supporting this effort.
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