S. 2159Senate112th Congress (2011-2013)In Committee

A bill to extend the authorization of the Drug-Free Communities Support Program through fiscal year 2017.

Legislative Activity

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5 earlier actions

SenateCalendars Latest Action

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 351.

March 29, 2012

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

March 6, 2012

SenateIntro Referral

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1423-1424)

March 6, 2012

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1424)

Judiciary Committee

March 6, 2012

SenateCommittee

Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

Judiciary Committee

March 29, 2012

SenateCommittee

Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Leahy with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

Judiciary Committee

March 29, 2012

SenateCalendars

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 351.

March 29, 2012

Floor Debate

5 members

What members said about S. 2159 on the floor

1 Republican4 Democrats

Sen. Chuck GrassleyR-IA · Mar 6, 2012

Mr. President, throughout my years in Congress, I have worked to keep drugs out of our communities. We have all seen the destructive impact drugs have on our communities, and our families. For years, we have heard tragic stories of the lives impacted by drug abuse. These problems plague our society and we must remain united in this struggle to end abuse and addiction.

In 1997 I, along with then-Senator Biden, sponsored legislation to create the Drug Free Communities, DFC, program. I believed then--as I still do today--that one of the most effective ways to prevent drug abuse is by supporting community antidrug coalitions to identify, prevent and eradicate the sources of abuse at the grass roots. Since the enactment of the Drug Free Communities Act, thousands of community antidrug coalitions have received Federal support to further their efforts to halt drug abuse in their communities.

Coalitions, across the country and in my home State of Iowa, are confronted with unique challenges, but they are leading their communities in finding ways to overcome them. For example, the Van Buren Safe Coalition in Keosauqua, IA implemented comprehensive community wide strategies to address the growing marijuana problem in their community. They conducted town hall meetings to raise awareness about the dangers of drug use; facilitated various community and youth education opportunities; and partnered with local schools to ensure drug policies and codes of conduct were in place. As a result, the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition reduced marijuana use among 11th graders by one-third in a 5-year time span according to the Iowa Youth Survey.

The Kossuth Connections coalition, which is headquartered in Algona, IA, is also taking action to fight underage drinking and smoking within its communities. According to the Iowa Youth Survey, current underage drinking and smoking, although still below the statewide average, has increased slightly between 2008 and 2010 in this county. As a result, the Kossuth Connections coalition has partnered with local businesses that sell alcohol and tobacco to ensure compliance with laws requiring age restrictions on selling alcohol and tobacco products. Youth from the county have surveyed area stores, inspected advertisements and product placements, and helped to determine whether or not the store displays a ``We ID'' sticker at the counter. These youth are committed to ensuring local stores are in compliance with the law and are actively working to reduce underage drinking and smoking.

These coalitions are a small sampling, but they represent the incredible efforts that many are putting into controlling and reducing drug abuse in our communities. Now is not the time to abandon community drug prevention efforts.

Unfortunately, recent trends indicate youth drug use nationally is on the rise and new synthetic drugs like K2/Spice and bath salts are gaining in popularity. In fact, the latest Monitoring the Future Survey indicates that one in nine high school seniors used synthetic drugs like K2/Spice in the past year. This is the first year this survey tested students on synthetic drug use. The high number of users in such a short time span illustrates how rapidly drug use can spread among certain populations and communities. It is discouraging to see these surveys and to read about more tragedies on a daily basis. These negative trends will continue if they are not aggressively addressed.

It is vital that communities are made aware of abuse trends and the new drugs coming on the horizon. The actions community antidrug coalitions can take to stem the growing tide of rising drug abuse, like synthetic drug abuse, can and have made a real difference. By holding town hall meetings, launching school programs, and confronting local businesses that market or sell inappropriate products community coalitions are making a real positive difference.

Whether it is a synthetic drug outbreak, a meth epidemic in a Midwestern town, or an increase in underage drinking, community antidrug coalitions will lead the way to unite their community against drug abuse. It is vital in these tough times that these coalitions continue to receive support from their communities and from the Federal Government. That is why I am pleased to join my colleague, Senator Leahy, in introducing a bill to reauthorize The Drug Free Communities Support Program for an additional 5 years.

This reauthorizing legislation recognizes the good work local antidrug coalitions have done over the years, but it also recognizes the fact that resources at the Federal level are tight and that authorizations need to more closely resemble appropriations. Further, this program is part of an ongoing review conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that I, along with Senator Feinstein, requested to study the effectiveness of the program. This study will take some time to develop and should not hinder our efforts to reauthorize the program, but should also be taken into consideration once the results are available.

We must remain vigilant and not relent in our efforts to eradicate drug abuse. Drug abuse flourishes when the problem is ignored. If we are going to make a better future for our children and communities, we must face this menace together.

Sen. Chuck GrassleyR-IA · Mar 6, 2012

Sen. Jack ReedD-RI · Mar 6, 2012

Mr. President, I introduce the Project Rebuild Act today, and I thank Senators Durbin, Schumer, Leahy, Akaka, Sherrod Brown, Whitehouse, Merkley, Begich, Franken, and Blumenthal for joining me as…

Mr. President, I introduce the Project Rebuild Act today, and I thank Senators Durbin, Schumer, Leahy, Akaka, Sherrod Brown, Whitehouse, Merkley, Begich, Franken, and Blumenthal for joining me as original cosponsors of this bill.

Rhode Island, like America, is facing a foreclosure crisis. The bill we are introducing offers an opportunity to address this crisis-- tackling foreclosures and affordable rental housing at the same time.

Building upon the successful, proven, and bipartisan Neighborhood Stabilization Plan, NSP, which has helped put Americans back to work stabilizing neighborhoods, the Project Rebuild Act could provide $43 million for Rhode Island to help create jobs and overhaul distressed neighborhoods and commercial properties.

Nationwide, about $10 billion would be directed to States and local governments through a formula modeled after NSP, and $5 billion would be distributed through new competitive grants.

We are facing a challenging budget environment, but this is the right time to make smart investments in strengthening our communities, putting more construction workers back to work, and bolstering the economy. This initiative will provide a flexible source of funding to help local communities leverage federal dollars to effectively address vacant and blighted properties.

In communities across Rhode Island and the country, we have seen how the foreclosure crisis has affected not just those who have lost their homes, but also how it has impacted entire neighborhoods.

I helped ensure that Rhode Island would receive additional NSP funding to assist communities hit hardest by the foreclosure crisis. Based on my visits to many NSP sites in Rhode Island, the State's NSP allotment of $26 million is making a difference in neighborhoods all over the State. This crucial investment in Rhode Island has not only begun to help reverse the fallout from foreclosures, but has also provided families with affordable rental housing.

But more needs to be done. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, despite three rounds of NSP funding, ``there is unaddressed high need in more than 76 percent of high need census tracts across the country.'' According to the Federal Reserve's recent housing white paper, the number of new homes that will have completed the foreclosure process could be as high as 1 million properties per year in 2012 and 2013.

We need to act to gain traction in our housing market so that we can firmly anchor a sustainable economic recovery that actually reaches and touches all Americans.

The Project Rebuild Act takes us in the right direction towards gaining this needed traction by making important enhancements to NSP, such as broadening eligible uses to include commercial vacancies.

It would offer new grants for fixing up vacant commercial properties, complementing the abilities of private developers.

It would also increase support for ``land banking.'' Land banks work with communities to buy, hold, and redevelop distressed properties as part of a long-term redevelopment strategy. Our bill would help more communities utilize successful land bank models and provide additional resources for Rhode Island Housing's Land Bank.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD, estimates Project Rebuild could create over 190,000 jobs and renovate 150,000 properties nationwide.

Just as NSP was supported on a bipartisan basis, I hope we can build bipartisan support for this effort to help revitalize neighborhoods, create jobs, and accelerate economic growth.

I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting this bill and other efforts to address foreclosures and bolster our nation's recovery.

Sen. Patrick J. LeahyD-VT · Mar 6, 2012

Mr. President, today, I am pleased to join with Senator Grassley to introduce the Drug Free Communities Reauthorization Act of 2012, a bill to reauthorize the successful Drug Free Communities…

Mr. President, today, I am pleased to join with Senator Grassley to introduce the Drug Free Communities Reauthorization Act of 2012, a bill to reauthorize the successful Drug Free Communities Program. It is crucial that communities around the country have the support and resources needed to respond to serious drug problems in a comprehensive and coordinated manner. Drug Free Community, DFC, coalitions have been proven to significantly lower substance abuse rates in our communities nationwide.

The DFC program encourages local citizens to become directly involved in solving their community's drug issues through grassroots organizing and data-driven approaches. Since the program's inception, DFC grants, which must be matched dollar for dollar, have helped to fund nearly 2,000 coalitions and have mobilized nearly 9,000 community volunteers. Today's legislation will reauthorize the DFC Program for an additional 5 years, at a reduced rate to reflect current fiscal realities. The community coalition model has proven extremely effective and has achieved impressive outcomes. It is critical that today's bill become law.

The DFC Program strategically invests Federal anti-drug resources at the community level with those who have the most power to reduce the demand for drugs--parents, teachers, business leaders, local media, religious leaders, law enforcement, youth, and others in the community. Grantees execute collaborative strategies to address their communities' unique substance use and abuse issues. This is the optimal way to ensure that the entire community benefits from prevention. I have consistently supported funding for these coalitions, and was pleased that last year, eight Vermont coalitions were awarded Drug Free Community grants totaling $946,852.

In Vermont, we have felt the presence of drug abuse and drug-related crime in our communities, and prescription drug abuse is on the rise. The myth persists that drug abuse and drug-related crime are only big- city problems, but rural America is also coping with these issues. I have brought the Judiciary Committee to Vermont several times to examine these problems and gain perspectives to help shape solutions. One thing is clear. Law enforcement, while crucial, cannot solve the problem on its own. Reducing substance abuse requires a comprehensive approach with equal attention to law enforcement, prevention and education, and treatment, all with active community buy-in.

We see significant results in the fight against youth drug abuse when we have people working together at the local, State, and Federal levels, and in the law enforcement, prevention, and treatment fields. We have seen success driven by DFC coalitions in Vermont and throughout the country, but there is more work to be done. Drug abuse and drug- related crime is a persistent problem in major metropolitan areas and rural communities alike. I hope all Senators will support this bipartisan bill so that communities nationwide can sustain effective community coalitions to reduce youth drug use.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Sen. Patrick J. LeahyD-VT · Mar 6, 2012

Mr. President, today, I am pleased to join with Senator Grassley to introduce the Drug Free Communities Reauthorization Act of 2012, a bill to reauthorize the successful Drug Free Communities…

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

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Sen. Kent ConradD-ND · Mar 6, 2012

Mr. President, I am introducing the Kidney Disease Equitable Access, Prevention, and Research Act. This legislation recognizes the importance of patient choice, access to care, and educational…

Sen. Herb KohlD-WI · Mar 6, 2012

Mr. President. I wanted to speak today regarding a bill I am introducing to establish the Fox-Wisconsin Heritage Parkway National Heritage Area. The Fox-Wisconsin Heritage Parkway would cut…

Bill Text

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Reported to SenateIssued March 29, 2012

Calendar No. 351

112th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 2159

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 6, 2012

Mr. Leahy (for himself, Mr. Grassley, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Portman, Mr. Schumer, Ms. Klobuchar, and Mr. Kohl) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

March 29, 2012

Reported by Mr. Leahy, with an amendment

Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic

A BILL

To extend the authorization of the Drug-Free Communities Support Program through fiscal year 2017.

Extension of the Drug-Free Communities Support Program through fiscal year 2017

Section 1024(a) of the National Narcotics Leadership Act of 1988 (21 U.S.C. 1524(a)) is amended by striking paragraph (9) and all that follows and inserting the following:

(9)

$90,000,000 for fiscal year 2006;

(10)

$99,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;

(11)

$109,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;

(12)

$114,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;

(13)

$119,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;

(14)

$124,000,000 for fiscal year 2011;

(15)

$129,000,000 for fiscal year 2012;

(16)

$100,000,000 for fiscal year 2013;

(17)

$100,000,000 for fiscal year 2014;

(18)

$100,000,000 for fiscal year 2015;

(19)

$100,000,000 for fiscal year 2016; and

(20)

$100,000,000 for fiscal year 2017.

Extension of the Drug-Free Communities Support Program through fiscal year 2017

Section 1024(a) of the National Narcotics Leadership Act of 1988 (21 U.S.C. 1524(a)) is amended by striking paragraph (9) and all that follows and inserting the following:

(9)

$90,000,000 for fiscal year 2006;

(10)

$99,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;

(11)

$109,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;

(12)

$114,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;

(13)

$119,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;

(14)

$124,000,000 for fiscal year 2011;

(15)

$129,000,000 for fiscal year 2012;

(16)

$100,000,000 for fiscal year 2013;

(17)

$100,000,000 for fiscal year 2014;

(18)

$100,000,000 for fiscal year 2015;

(19)

$100,000,000 for fiscal year 2016; and

(20)

$100,000,000 for fiscal year 2017.

Oversight of other agency administering Drug-Free Communities Support Program

Section 1031 of the National Narcotics Leadership Act of 1988 (21 U.S.C. 1531) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (b)—

(A)

in paragraph (2), by striking and at the end;

(B)

in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(C)

by adding at the end the following:

(4)

ensure that—

(A)

each recipient of an initial grant or a renewal grant meets the grant eligibility criteria under section 1032(a) for each fiscal year; and

(B)

the meeting of the grant eligibility criteria under section 1032(a) for each fiscal year by each recipient of an initial grant or a renewal grant is fully documented.

; and

(2)

in subsection (d)—

(A)

by striking The Director and inserting the following: (1) In general.—The Director; and

(B)

by adding at the end the following:

(2)

Oversight of other agency administering Program

If the Director enters into an agreement under paragraph (1) to delegate authority to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Director shall—

(A)

develop and document an approach to monitoring and overseeing the administration of the Program by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; and

(B)

fully define in the agreement prepared for each fiscal year between the Director and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration the respective roles and responsibilities, with respect to administering the Program, of—

(i)

the Office of National Drug Control Policy, including the role and responsibilities of the Administrator; and

(ii)

the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

National Community Anti-Drug Coalition Institute

Subchapter I of chapter 2 of the National Narcotics Leadership Act of 1988 (21 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

1036.

National Community Anti-Drug Coalition Institute

(a)

In general

The Director may, using amounts authorized to be appropriated by subsection (d), make a grant to an eligible organization to provide for the establishment of a National Community Anti-Drug Coalition Institute.

(b)

Eligible organizations

An organization eligible for the grant under subsection (a) is any national nonprofit organization that represents, provides technical assistance and training to, and has special expertise and broad, national-level experience in community anti-drug coalitions under section 1032.

(c)

Use of grant amount

The organization receiving the grant under subsection (a) shall establish a National Community Anti-Drug Coalition Institute to—

(1)

provide education, training, and technical assistance for coalition leaders and community teams, with emphasis on the development of coalitions serving economically disadvantaged areas;

(2)

develop and disseminate evaluation tools, mechanisms, and measures to better assess and document coalition performance measures and outcomes; and

(3)

bridge the gap between research and practice by translating knowledge from research into practical information.

(d)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated for purposes of activities under this section, including the grant under subsection (a), $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2013 through 2017.

March 29, 2012

Reported with an amendment