Grassley Seeks Increased Focus on Grassroots Effort to Fight Drug Abuse


Iowa Senator Reviews Office of National Drug Control Policy Nominee


Scott Stanzel

202/224-6197


Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today urged the individual nominated for one of the top jobs in the drug control policy office of the White House to focus on grassroots efforts to fight the rise in the use of illegal drugs, including methamphetamine, in rural America.

Grassley made his appeal during a hearing held this afternoon by the Senate Judiciary Committee to consider the nomination of Robert Warshaw to serve as the Associate Director for State and Local Affairs in the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). Grassley chaired today's hearing.

"Drug abuse in our cities has been a problem for years, but recently we have seen an alarming increase in illegal drug use in rural America," said Grassley. "Drugs like methamphetamine are ripping apart the social fabric of many communities in Iowa. The Drug Czar's office can be most effective in this war on drugs by working with the state and local officials to pool resources and coordinate efforts through programs which like the Midwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and the Drug Free Communities Act."

In the position, Warshaw would administer federal funds available for state and local anti-drug programs. Grassley urged Warshaw, when confirmed, to focus on increased coordination between the federal, state and local officials. During today's session, the committee also reviewed Thomas Umberg to serve as Deputy Director for Supply Reduction at the ONDCP.

Grassley has led several initiatives this year to support grassroots efforts to fight illegal drugs.

  1. In January, Grassley worked with the Drug Czar's office to include five Midwestern states, including Iowa, in a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. Through this coalition, Iowa has received $1.2 million this year to help strengthen anti-drug efforts
  2. In June, President Bill Clinton signed Grassley's Drug Free Communities Act of 1997 into law. This law annually will move federal funds totaling $10 million from anti-drug initiatives based in Washington, D.C. to anti-drug initiatives sponsored by community coalitions with proven track records of success in the fight against teenage drug use.
  3. Throughout the past year, Grassley has been working to create the first-of-its-kind statewide anti-drug community coalition in Iowa. The coalition is comprised of six individual task forces which will be working to come up with the best ideas to fight substance abuse. Their solutions will be tailored to Iowa and be released to the public as part of strategic plan after the first of the year.

The trafficking and use of methamphetamine has risen dramatically in Iowa in recent years. According to the Division of Narcotics Enforcement at the Iowa Department of Public Safety, 35.8 pounds of methamphetamine were seized during fiscal year 1996 and 61.7 pounds during fiscal year 1997. As of October 24, 1997, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement reports that approximately 92.9 pounds of methamphetamine have been seized during fiscal year 1998.

"I want to help empower local leaders to fight this dangerous drug which threatens the safety and stability of our rural and urban communities alike," said Grassley. "We can be most effective in this war against drugs when we bring together parents, teachers, community leaders, students, clergy, members of the media, law enforcement, and the medical community to fight drug abuse and send a message to our young people about the dangers of illegal drugs. We must maintain vigilance in this effort."

Grassley is a senior member of the Judiciary Committee and is the chairman of the International Narcotics Control Caucus.