Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 3614 - Drug Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments

(House)
(Hawkins (D) CA and 14 others)

The Administration will not object to House passage of H.R. 3614, because it contains two important Presidential proposals. The first .would require local educational agencies and institutions of higher education to certify that they have established drug and alcohol abuse prevention programs. The second would authorize emergency grants to local educational agencies with the most severe alcohol and drug abuse problems. Another desirable provision would consolidate duplicative teacher training authorities under the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act.

The Administration, however, will work in the Senate for deletion of many objectionable provisions in H.R. 3614. These include restrictions on the flexibility of Governors to address their States' drug abuse problems in ways most likely to be successful. There is no evidence of specific problems to indicate that these provisions are preferable to providing the Governors with the flexibility necessary to utilize resources effectively. The bill also includes unnecessarily burdensome administrative requirements on State and local educational agencies.