Memorandum on the Cabinet Committee for Drug Law Enforcement.

[Dated May 12, 1976. Released May 13, 1976]

Memorandum for the Secretary of the Treasury, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Transportation

Subject: Cabinet Committee for Drug Law Enforcement

Drug abuse, particularly narcotics addiction, has reached crisis proportions in the United States. Current estimates are that as much as half of all street crime is committed by drug addicts to support their expensive and debilitating habits. The cumulative effect of drug abuse has been to diminish the quality and vitality of our community life and to weaken the fabric of our nation. It is imperative, therefore, that Federal law enforcement efforts aimed at those who are responsible for distributing illicit drugs in our communities be as effective as possible.

In my recent message to the Congress on drug abuse,¹ I announced the establishment of a Cabinet Committee for Drug Law Enforcement, to have responsibility for oversight and coordination of all Federal drug law enforcement activities. You are hereby appointed members of the Cabinet Committee, along with such other members as I may appoint from time to time. The Attorney General shall serve as Chairman of the Cabinet Committee.

¹ See Item 368.

The Cabinet Committee shall be supported by a Working Group composed of personnel from each Federal department and agency having drug law enforcement responsibilities and the Office of Management and Budget. The Attorney General shall designate an Executive Director of the Cabinet Committee, who shall be Chairman of the Working Group.

The Cabinet Committee shall be responsible for the coordination of all policies and activities of the Federal government relating to domestic drug law enforcement. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Federal departments, agencies and offices shall cooperate with the Cabinet Committee in carrying out its responsibilities.

More specifically, the Cabinet Committee shall:

(1) develop and implement the Federal strategy with respect to drug law enforcement;

(2) assure proper coordination among Federal drug law enforcement programs, including the collection, analysis and dissemination of enforcement intelligence data;

(3) assure that Federal enforcement resources are effectively utilized;

(4) assure proper coordination between the investigative and prosecutorial arms of the government;

(5) provide liaison between the Executive Branch and Congress, State and local governments and the public;

(6) assure implementation of relevant recommendations contained in the Domestic Council's White Paper on Drug Abuse;

(7) evaluate and make recommendations to improve Federal drug law enforcement programs; and

(8) report progress to me on October 1, 1976, and periodically thereafter.

In addition to the above on-going responsibilities, the Chairman of the Cabinet Committee, shall work closely with the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to develop plans for improving the coordination between law enforcement and drug abuse prevention, treatment and rehabilitation programs.

GERALD R. FORD