cannabisnews.com: DeWine angered by lack of funding DeWine angered by lack of funding Posted by UaN on February 05, 1999 at 07:25:55 PT VOTE THIS MAN OUT ASAP DeWine angered by lack of funding for his drug interdiction lawWASHINGTON (AP) -- After two big steps forward, it's another step back for Sen. Mike DeWine and other backers of a law providing more tools for stopping drug smugglers. DeWine angered by lack of funding for his drug interdiction law BY KATHERINE RIZZO Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) -- After two big steps forward, it's another step back for Sen. Mike DeWine and other backers of a law providing more tools for stopping drug smugglers. Last year, President Clinton signed a DeWine-sponsored bill dealing with illegal drug use and drug-related crime, then Congress and the White House agreed on funding that immediately put an extra $690 million into this year's drug-fighting effort. But this year's proposed funding level was nowhere near that high. In fact, it included no money at all for any of the top five priorities in the Western Hemisphere Drug Elimination Act, DeWine said. ``Unfortunately, President Clinton's proposed budget does not live up to his spirited anti-drug rhetoric,'' DeWine, R-Ohio, said Thursday. The five priorities are: --a new coca-opium-poppy-marijuana eradication program; --enhancements to the Customs Service's air interdiction program; --counter-drug intelligence programs; --Coast Guard equipment purchases; and --enhancements for border security. The budget offered no funding for new Drug Enforcement Agency agents and no new equipment for the Coast Guard, DeWine said. Clinton's budget proposal for fiscal 2000 seeks $17.8 billion for drug-fighting programs, a slight decrease from the $17.9 billion this year, which includes $844 million in emergency supplemental funding. About 14 percent of the 2000 funding would go to international and interdiction programs, compared with nearly 18 percent for 1999. ``As this number goes down, the supply goes up,'' said Sen. Paul Coverdell, R-Ga. ``As the supply goes up, the price goes down. As the price goes down, use goes up. That's why interdiction is useful.'' Rep. Porter Goss, R-Fla., called Clinton's drug policy one of ``Just Say Maybe'' rather than ``Just Say No.'' ``The only way we can win this is to just say no,''' he said at a news conference. ``This is a serious war. This is not a war you just say maybe' about. This is a war you win.'' At the White House drug policy office, Directory of Strategy Jim McDonough did not have specifics on the line-items DeWine complained about. However, he said that the overall cuts Republicans decried compared a regular-year's funding with extra, supplemental funding added at GOP insistence. The administration is trying to deal with both sides of the drug equation, he said: ``The theory is, if there's no demand there's no supply. The more you can lower demand you really can cut supply.'' Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #1 posted by FoM on February 05, 1999 at 20:29:07 PT Just Thanks! UaN, That's good news! Thanks for the story!I hope the bill stops dead in its tracks! [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: