Patrick Leahy: “I am pleased that the Senate yesterday passed H.R. 956, the Drug Free Communities Act of 1997. I have long been a…”

“I am pleased that the Senate yesterday passed H.R. 956, the Drug Free Communities Act of 1997. I have long been a supporter of substance abuse prevention programs, particularly for our youth, and was a cosponsor of the Senate's companion bill, S. 536. I am glad to see that my Republican colleagues have taken a second look at these types of prevention programs since the debate over the 1994 crime law. It clearly was time to stop debating the usefulness of prevention programs and instead make sure we authorized and funded such programs as the Drug Free Communities Act. Community-based prevention programs have proven to be an effective way to combat the problem of youth drug abuse. Throughout the country there are groups, large and small, public and private, whose mission is to reduce drug use among our young people. Many of these groups form coalitions, pool their resources, and work together to reach that goal. Groups such as D.A.R.E., MADD, the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, and Vermont's unique Kids N' Kops Program, serve communities every day with programs that involve entire communities and educate our youth in innovative ways so that they are secure in their decision not to use drugs. Those groups need to be supported and that is the purpose of H.R. 956. Many Americans are concerned about the problem of juvenile crime and delinquency, and drug abuse is a contributing factor.”