House GOP Unveil Drug War Strategy

WASHINGTON (AP) -- House Republicans donned blue ribbons and signed a pledge to pass legislation this year that they said will finally put America on the path toward winning the war on drugs.

"We must commit ourselves to total victory," House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Thursday at a GOP rally to kick off a broad legislative plan to reduce drug use by deterring demand, cutting off supplies and increasing personal responsibility.

No Democrats participated in the task force that came up with the plan or joined the rally, and Democrats complained that Republicans were ignoring the president's 10-year strategy for cutting illegal drug use in half in order to score political points in an election year.

"There are no winners from a protracted political battle on these issues," House Democratic leader Dick Gephardt said this week. "There are only losers, the kids who are failed by congressional inaction."

But on Thursday, both sides tried to keep the political sniping at a minimum. Gingrich again pointed out that drug use, which fell during the Reagan and Bush administrations, "has gone back up in every single category" since President Clinton took office. But heavoided direct criticism of the administration's anti-drug policies.

And White House drug policy chief Barry McCaffrey, in an interview, said he was "surprised and pleased at the bipartisan tone and the positive energy" at the Republican gathering.

"President Clinton told me to work this as a bipartisan strategy," he said. "We welcome new thinking, new energy."

Gingrich said he would ask House appropriators, the lawmakers who decide how federal money will be spent, to make financing for drug programs "the highest single priority. We will cut any other program we have to cut" to keep the focus on the war on drugs, he said.

"Today is our call to arms," said Rep. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.,the head of the task force, saying the goal is to help create a drug-free America by 2002.

Task force co-chairman Rep. Bill McCollum, R-Fla., who as head of the Judiciary crime subcommittee is in charge of interdiction programs, said he hoped to slash supplies of illegal drugs by 80 percent in the next three years.

Among the Republican ideas:

Building more fences and doubling border guards along the Mexican border.

Providing U.S. assistance for foreign drug-eradication programs, and linking aid to drug-fighting efforts.

Life imprisonment for trafficking in speed or methamphetamine.

A blue ribbon campaign week in September to raise national awareness of the drug problem.

Encouraging lawmakers to help establish community-based anti-drug coalitions.

Doubling to $20 million the annual budget for the drug-free community act to help local groups reduce teenage substance abuse.

Grants to implement drug-free workplace programs.

Restricting federal loans for students convicted of drug possession or trafficking.

(01 May 1998 05:06 EDT)