Connie Morella: “Let us be clear about this amendment. I just want to clarify what was just stated, that this bill already prohibits the…”

“Let us be clear about this amendment. I just want to clarify what was just stated, that this bill already prohibits the use of Federal funds for needle exchange programs in the District of Columbia. But the amendment that has been offered goes beyond the ban on the Federal funding to also include local funding, funding that is raised in the District of Columbia for this purpose. Frankly, I think to prohibit the District from using its own, and I emphasize, its own local revenues for its needle exchange program which was started a year ago, is really clearly a violation of local control. I remember when we discussed this whole issue on the floor of the House. Some of us believed that HIV prevention strategy in terms of needle exchange was well worth it. But I do remember when a majority of our colleagues voted for the ban on the use of Federal funds. During that debate, many of the Members argued that States and localities could still use their own revenues for these programs. Therefore, a vote against this amendment will give us the opportunity to follow through on our promise. Let the District decide how best to prevent new HIV infections within its own community, with its own money. My State of Maryland does that very successfully in the Baltimore area and Prince George's area. Let us vote against this amendment.”