Judd Gregg: “Let me talk for a moment, if I may, about a part of the bill that is not very controversial but I think is very…”

“Let me talk for a moment, if I may, about a part of the bill that is not very controversial but I think is very significant. It is that part of the bill that Senator Dodd just mentioned, and that is the drug-free school component of the bill. Let me congratulate Senator Dodd. I really enjoyed working with him, with his team, to get language in this bill that will really improve the current Drug Free Schools Program. I believe we have done that. I salute him for that very excellent work. I also thank Senator Murray and Senator Grassley for their work on this language as well. I think we all understand when we talk about our drug problem, we have to have a coordinated, consistent, and a balanced approach. A balanced approach means drug treatment, drug education, prevention. It means international interdiction of drugs. It also means domestic law enforcement. Those are the four basic components. We have to do them all. We have to consistently do them all. The drug-free schools provision in this bill and the money it represents is really virtually the only thing the Federal Government does in the area of education. This bill authorizes $925 million which will go down to the local school districts across this country.”