[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 151 (Friday, October 24, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S13210]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Nelson of Florida, 
        Mr. Cochran, and Mr. Lott):
  S. 1785. A bill to authorize the operation of National Guard 
counterdrug schools; to the Committee on Armed Services.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, every day, police officers from 
departments of all sizes spend their days trying to make sure the 
people under their protection have a safe and secure place to live, 
work, and play. But those who wish to break our laws don't make this an 
easy task. The tactics, threats, and information available to the 
modern criminal continue to grow. Just as developments in technology, 
transportation, and communications have created new opportunities for 
businesses to enter new markets, develop new products, and discover new 
efficiencies, crooks have taken advantage of these same developments to 
further their personal desires.
  Law enforcement has a responsibility to stay abreast of the latest 
developments, and this means learning the latest technologies and 
techniques used by criminals, as well as understanding and being able 
to effectively deploy countermeasures that have been developed. Staying 
on top of the game demands learning new techniques, understanding new 
technologies, and employing new tactics to counter the latest criminal 
scam.
  The challenge, then, is in identifying where this training should 
come from. Most citizens expect cops to learn many of these skills on 
the job--you never see the detectives on ``NYPD Blue'' or in ``Law and 
Order'' take classes to improve their skills. But the truth of the 
matter is what while on the job training is an essential part of any 
law enforcement organization, additional schooling is also increasingly 
prevalent and necessary. Some departments have funds in their budgets 
to bring in outside experts to provide training. Some depend upon 
classes offered by State governments. But for a vast number of 
departments, particularly those serving smaller, rural populations, the 
only training opportunities available are offered by the National 
Guard.
  Operating under the authority of Title 32, United States Code, 
Section 112, the National Guard actively supports local, State, and 
Federal law enforcement agencies and community based anti-drug 
coalitions. Over the past several years, the Guard has supported the 
establishment of five Counterdrug schools which facilitate valuable 
training for State and local law enforcement agencies. These schools 
are dedicated to teaching counterdrug-related skills to State and local 
law enforcement agencies and community-based organizations. The classes 
range from specialties such as how best to search a loaded semi 
tractor-trailer for narcotics to generally applicable classes on 
interviewing or surveillance techniques. They provide training to 
thousands of officers each year who would otherwise not be able to 
receive it for a lack of resources.
  These schools, located in Pennsylvania, Florida, Iowa, Mississippi, 
and California, but serving law enforcement officers throughout the 
United States, have proved their effectiveness in developing training 
and educational opportunities for local law enforcement officials--
opportunities that would not otherwise exist. The schools fill a need 
readily apparent in conversations with State and local law enforcement 
officers. The National Guard Counterdrug schools represent one of the 
few opportunities available to State and local law enforcement officers 
to improve the skills they need to be as effective as possible in 
maintaining the peace.
  But in addition to law enforcement, community-based organizations 
also receive valuable training from the National Guard Schools, which 
allows them to be much more effective in their efforts. Almost any law 
enforcement officer will tell you that they would rather have a 
successful prevention effort, a way to convince kids that crime really 
doesn't pay, rather than having these kids begin a life of crime. 
Organized, motivated, effective community coalitions are a central, 
bipartisan component of our nation's drug demand reduction strategy.
  The challenge the schools face is one of funding. They have been 
funded to date by Sate Plans funds from the Defense department and line 
items from Congress. The funding to each school has varied from year to 
year, making it exceedingly difficult for the schools and the law 
enforcement agencies they serve to know how many of what classes will 
be offered. And while I do not believe this should be an issue, there 
have been some questions raised as to whether the operation of these 
schools should be conducted by the Guard.
  Today I am pleased to be joined by Senators Harkin, Cochran, and 
Nelson in introducing legislation that addresses these challenges. This 
legislation will formally authorize the five schools, and create a 
separate budget account for the schools. The establishment of a single 
account for all five Counterdrug schools will stabilize the funding for 
the schools so they can more efficiently and effectively plan, manage, 
and execute training for the law enforcement officers and the 
communities they serve.
  In addition, a single line item supporting these schools will relieve 
the need for each school having to depend upon a Congressional line 
item for funding for their activities. It will provide easier 
management, oversight, and the establishment of performance 
expectations of the Schools by both the National Guard and Congress. 
With better oversight, management, and creating a regular funding 
stream, the schools will be able to better serve the training needs of 
state and local law enforcement.

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