CADCA Legislative Update

CADCA is proud to share that after herculean bipartisan and bicameral efforts by our champions on Capitol Hill, along with over 200 groups across our entire field, the President’s FY 2018 budget request to Congress does not include the recommendations reported earlier in May to eliminate the Drug Free Communities (DFC) program, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program and to dramatically cut the personnel in the Office of Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).
Efforts include:
  • Senator Portman and Congressman Levin (the original sponsors of the DFC program) letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mick Mulvaney
  • Senator Grassley and Senator Feinstein letter, along with 11 other Senators, to OMB Director Mulvaney in support of ONDCP, DFC, and HIDTA
  • Congressmen Cummings, Johnson, Levin and Fitzpatrick letter, along with 70 other Representatives, in support of ONDCP, DFC, and HIDTA
  • Senator Capito letter in support of ONDCP, DFC, and HIDTA
  • Senators Nelson and Rubio letter in support of ONDCP, DFC, and HIDTA
  • Letter to the White House signed by over 200 national groups in the prevention, treatment, recovery and law enforcement fields to inform them that ONDCP, DFC, and HIDTA are critical
Although it is great news that we do not have to fight what were reported to be draconian cuts to the ONDCP and the total elimination of the DFC and HIDTA programs on Capitol Hill, the President’s budget does include reductions to both DFC and HIDTA as well as to the ONDCP staff. It is important to remember that the President’s budget request for all programs are only his recommendations to Congress – and that it is Congress that determines all the funding levels for every federal program.
CADCA will continue to work to ensure that the DFC program, as well as HIDTA and ONDCP itself, are all funded at the highest possible levels for FY 2018 by continuing to build on the strong support we have in Congress.
CADCA will keep you in the loop as the FY 2018 appropriations process continues and let you know how and when to get involved.