Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 3057 - Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments of 1991

(SENT 9/10/91)
(House)
(Serrano (D) NY and Owens (D) NY)

The Administration opposes H.R. 3057, which would revise, in its entirety, section 5146 of the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1986.

—   Requiring the Secretary of Education to contract with a nonprofit agency to provide certain drug education programs with technical assistance and training within one year of enactment in order for those programs to qualify for inclusion in the National Diffusion Network (NDN), is unnecessary. The Secretary has broad authority under the NDN to assist those seeking inclusion in the NDN, and has awarded a technical assistance contract that accommodates a wide range of education programs, including drug education programs. This also duplicates ongoing activities such as the development of an evaluation manual for States and school districts, under the Drug-Free Schools program.

—   The mandatory requirements that the Secretary award dissemination grants to certain drug education programs and set-aside appropriated funds for this purpose, is unwarranted. It is also unworkable because it would require the use of NDN criteria that are not suitable for evaluating comprehensive drug prevention programs.

The Administration supports the dissemination and replication of successful anti-drug programs, including those targeted at underserved and high-risk groups. H.R. 3057, however, is unnecessary and overly prescriptive given existing, more flexible, authorities.