Bill Barrett: “what the amendment really does, Mr. Chairman, and I have not had an opportunity to speak; I have spoken earlier, but I…”

“what the amendment really does, Mr. Chairman, and I have not had an opportunity to speak; I have spoken earlier, but I have not had an opportunity speak directly to the Owens-Ford amendment, and I simply want to briefly say that what the amendment really does is to try and politicize drug-free efforts. It would require Governors to come before the Committee on Appropriations, the appropriators, every year to plead their case. And what would be the results of the pleading? I think we have a pretty good idea, because appropriators are still faced with limited budget. They could be forced to take funds away from public school districts to fund the Governors' share. Then this House is going to be getting letters and phone calls from school superintendents and other providers when their funding is cut. Second, Mr. Chairman, the Nation's drug abuse prevention efforts require a coordinated approach. I fear that under this amendment there is going to be a disjointed, helter-skelter attempt to curb drug and alcohol abuse. Everyone is going to be scrambling to get their piece of the pie. The amendment that was offered earlier by the gentleman from Indiana and myself contains a coordinated approach needed to create effective programs.…”