    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
    [February 18, 2000]
    [Pages 280-281]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Signing the Hillory J. Farias and Samantha Reid Date-Rape
    Drug Prohibition Act of 2000
    February 18, 2000

        Today I am pleased to sign into law H.R. 2130, the ``Hillory J.
    Farias and Samantha Reid Date-Rape Drug Prohibition Act of 2000.'' I
    applaud the sponsors of this important legislation.
        This legislation will, among other things, place gamma
    hydroxybutyric acid (GHB)--a drug that is abused for its psychoactive
    effects and, less frequently but more perniciously, used as a tool by
    sexual predators--in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
    Making GHB a Schedule I controlled substance appropriately reflects the
    Congress' judgment that GHB has a high potential for abuse by sexual
    predators; that its possession and distribution should therefore be
    prohibited; and that violators should be subject to stringent criminal
    sanctions.
        The Act directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to
    develop and implement a plan for a national campaign to educate young
    adults, youths, law enforcement personnel, educators, school nurses,
    rape victim counselors, and hospital emergency room personnel on: (1)
    the dangers of date-rape drugs; (2) the applicability of the CSA to such
    drugs, including penalties; (3) how to recognize signs that an
    individual may be a victim of such drugs, and (4) the appropriate
    response when an individual exhibits such symptoms. The Act also
    requires HHS to collect data on the incidence of date-rape drug abuse
    and report the information annually to the Congress.
        The Act will not impede ongoing research into the potential
    legitimate use of this drug to treat the special needs of those
    suffering from narcolepsy. Indeed, this Act creates a special exemption
    that provides that the manufacture and distribution of this drug for
    properly approved research purposes will be subject to the physical
    security requirements of Schedule III rather than Schedule I.
        In approving H.R. 2130, I note that section 8(c)(1) of the bill
    requires the Attorney General to submit to the Committees on the
    Judiciary of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report that
    sets forth the recommendations of a unit of the Drug Enforcement
    Administration, an entity within the Department of Justice. By mandating
    the disclosure of an internal Department recommendation, this provision
    infringes on my constitutional responsibility to preserve the
    confidentiality of executive branch deliberations. Accordingly, I shall
    construe the

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    provision to be advisory, and I hereby direct all executive branch
    officials to do likewise.
        I would like to acknowledge the tireless efforts of those Members of
    Congress who brought about passage of this important legislation:
    Representatives Fred Upton, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Bart Stupak, Sherrod
    Brown, and Michael Bilirakis and also Senators Spencer Abraham and Orrin
    Hatch. Their efforts have strengthened the rights and safety of
    thousands of women, and we owe them a debt of gratitude for the
    leadership they have shown in bringing this issue to our Nation's
    attention.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    The White House,

    February 18, 2000.

    Note: H.R. 2130, approved February 18, was assigned Public Law No. 106-
    172.