Members of Congress Call for Cutting DEA Funding to Increase Funding for Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Prevention

Members of Congress Call for Cutting DEA Funding to Increase Funding for Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Prevention

A coalition of 12 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, led by Representative Ted Lieu (D-CA), has written a letter to House leadership calling for the passage of a provision in an upcoming spending bill that would remove at least half of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) funding for their failed Cannabis Eradication Program.

The provision would take this money (around $9 million) and put it towards programs that “play a far more useful role in promoting the safety and economic prosperity of the American people”, such as domestic violence and child abuse prevention.

“Throughout the country, states are increasingly turning away from marijuana prohibition and enacting alternative policies to lower crime rates, free up limited law enforcement resources, and keep drugs out of the hands of children”, the letter begins. “To date, four states have legalized recreational marijuana, and 23 states now allow marijuana for medical use. There has also been a great deal of movement on the science behind marijuana, and consequently, the marijuana policy landscape in Congress has shifted to more closely match the needs of the states we represent.”

It continues; “We write to you concerning House Amendment 296 to H.R. 2578, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016. This commonsense amendment targeted $9 million dollars in the Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program in the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) budget and redistributed it to three accounts that play a far more useful role in promoting the safety and economic prosperity of the American people: the Violence Against Women Act Youth-Oriented Program, the Victims of Child Abuse program, and the Spending Reduction Account.”

The letter notes that; “This amendment passed on voice vote without any opposition from either party. We urge you to include the substance of this amendment in any upcoming spending legislation, whether though a continuing resolution or an omnibus spending bill.”

The full letter can be found by clicking here.

– TheJointBlog