Elijah Cummings: “I rise in favor of H. Res. 569, expressing support for the President's 2002 National Drug Control Strategy. As the…”

“I rise in favor of H. Res. 569, expressing support for the President's 2002 National Drug Control Strategy. As the Ranking Minority Member of the drug policy subcommittee, I'm happy to join with my chairman, the gentleman from Indiana, as an original cosponsor of this resolution. As the War on Terror, homeland security, possible war with Iraq, and other issues dominate headlines, it is important that the American people, we in Congress, and the various state, federal and local agencies involved in the War on Drugs remain vigilant with regard to illegal drug control. Illegal drugs still claim many more American lives than terrorist attacks and they are responsible for much of the violent crime and property crimes that undermine the stability and safety of communities across the country, including my own city of Baltimore. The increasing linkage between illegal drug trafficking and the financing of terrorist activities makes it all the more imperative that we keep our eye on the ball and not let the war on drugs slip as a national priority.”