Conclusion
The Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 2005 is a step towards reducing drug use in America. Although I have concerns with provisions in the bill, they are primarily due to the bill being prescriptive rather than opting for flexibility in a time where rapid change to meet the threats of today can make a fundamental difference in the way the illicit drug market operates. Additionally, there are portions of the bill that usurp Executive Branch privilege, including Section 4(b) which determines the rank of the Director, Section 4(c)(2) which would limit the President's ability to nominate the most qualified person to be Deputy Director for Supply Reduction, Section 4(g)(4) which requires a parallel drug country certification process using a different standard than the President is required to apply in the existing process, and Section 8(i) which stipulates how the President's budget is to be submitted with regard to the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Program which is not within ONDCP in the President's fiscal year 2006 budget submission. The Administration strongly opposes any provisions in the bill that limit the Executive Branch's or the President's prerogatives.
In a time when our prevention efforts have been more effective than they have ever been, in a time when we are closing the treatment gap in America, and in a time when we are significantly reducing the supply of drugs while shutting down the trafficking organizations, we need to follow-through. Last year, approximately 26,000 Americans died due to drugs—we save them by continuing on the path that has realized a 17 percent reduction in youth drug use.
Last Updated: June 16, 2005
