HOUSE DRUG PLAN LACKS TREATMENT COMPONENT
JUNE 1, 1998 - Not a single part of the House Republican Drug Task Force's
recently released 12-item, 7-page drug control strategy addresses the need
for addiction treatment.
Republican Congressmen like Minnesota's Jim Ramstad, Ohio's Rob Portman and Colorado's Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell recognize treatment's effectiveness in reducing demand. It's not too late for the Republican leadership to also hear our message that treatment effectively saves lives, restores families, and improves communities. Ask your Representatives to contact Congressmen Hastert, Portman, McCollum, Gingrich, Armey, DeLay, Boehner and other members of the Speaker's Drug Task Force. Have Senators contact Senators Lott, Nickles and Craig and tell them the Senate should not follow the House's lead. If we don't tell Congress now, the leadership will never recognize treatment's vital role.
Sample letter:
The address for all Representatives is:
The Honorable (First Name) (Last Name)
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
The address for all Senators is:
Senator (First Name) (Last Name)
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Representative/Senator (Last Name):
I was disappointed to learn that the Speaker's Task Force for a Drug Free America did not address the nation's need for addiction treatment. This oversight unfairly risks portraying Republicans as unconcerned with the effective treatment of adolescents and others who desperately need our help.
Show that you and your party will address our nation's number one problem. Contact your colleagues on the Speaker's Task Force. Encourage them to include The Substance Abuse Treatment Parity Act (H.R.2409/S.1147) in their Drug Control Strategy. This bill will ensure that American workers and their families receive addiction treatment insurance coverage without placing a mandate upon employers. If we are serious about winning the battle against drug addiction, we must enlist the private and the public sector.
You can also show your support by becoming a cosponsor of the
Parity Act. Join your colleagues, such as Representatives Jim Ramstad,
Rob Portman, J.C. Watts, and Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell who are
cosponsoring this bill to maximize fair access for America's working
families to the most effective tools in the battle against addiction.
In addition to the Parity Act, please support and encourage the
Speaker's Task Force to include the following funding increases
for treatment, prevention, and research programs in their drug
control strategy:
Substance Abuse Treatment Block Grant $1.51 billion
CSAT Knowledge Development and Application Grant $180 million
CSAP Knowledge Development and Application Grant $170 million
CSAP's High Risk Youth Program $10 million
Safe and Drug Free Schools $606 million
Nat'l Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism $262.2 million
Nat'l Institute on Drug Abuse $658.9 million
Thank you for your interest in dealing with our nation's drug issues and your support for treatment as an effective demand-reducing tool.
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