CONGRESSIONAL UPDATE

CUTS IN PREVENTION, TREATMENT AND EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS STILL A THREAT (6/22/98)

***IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED***




Since the June 3 Action Alert on appropriations, congressional staff has continued to indicate that alcohol and other drug prevention, treatment and education funding may be CUT. They have said there has been not been a large response from the field.

BACKGROUND
The House of Representatives and Senate are currently working on Fiscal Year 1999 appropriations. The House appropriations sub-committee is scheduled to mark-up its bill next week. Given the restraints placed on spending this year, prevention, education and treatment funding is in jeopardy.

WHAT YOU CAN DO
ASK EVERYONE YOU KNOW to contact their senators and representative by calling the Capitol Hill Switchboard -- 202/224-3121 -- and asking for their offices. Members of the Senators and House of Representatives can be reached via e-mail: The U. S. House of Representatives and The U. S. Senate.

* Tell them that alcohol and other drug related problems continue to drain the American economy -- we spent $250 billion in 1992. The emotional costs to families is immeasurable.
* Request that prevention, treatment and education funding be INCREASED. Ask them to contact the Appropriations Committee chairmen and appropriate these funding levels:

Substance Abuse Block Grant $1.51 Billion
($200 million increase)
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment $180 million
($24 million increase)
Center for Substance Abuse Prevention $170 million($19 million increase)
Abuse Prevention CSAP's High Risk Youth Program $10 million
($4 million increase)
Safe and Drug Free Schools $606 million
($50 million increase)


PLEASE CONTACT YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. ASK YOUR COLLEAGUES, FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO CALL, TOO.

If you have any questions, please call the Public Policy Office via e-mail at publicpolicy@ncadd.org.