"We must make the most of the taxpayer dollars going to fight drug use by teenagers in Iowa and throughout the country. This bill will enable federal grants to go directly to groups that band together in coalitions and match federal dollars with funding from the private sector and the local community," Grassley said.
Specifically, the Grassley Drug Free Communities Act of 1997 is funded in the amount of $10 million the first year by re-channeling money already in the federal drug control budget. It would establish matching grants of up to $100,000 for each qualifying coalition. The program would be administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
Grassley said that to qualify for one of these grants a community coalition must demonstrate a long-term commitment to address teen drug use by having a sustainable coalition that includes representatives from a wide variety of community activists. A community coalition making application must have been in existence for at least six months before applying for funds provided for in this bill. A coalition is only eligible to receive support if it can match these donations dollar-for-dollar with non-federal funding.
"The goal is to encourage and bolster local organizations hard at work in the fight against teenage drug use," Grassley said. "The key to success in this effort is local leadership and participation. It only makes sense to re-direct money away from the big bureaucracy in Washington and toward the many dedicated volunteer efforts already on the ground making a meaningful difference in their own communities."
Beyond the new grant program which would be formed by the bill introduced today, Grassley said that he intends to further enhance community efforts with the formation of a state-wide anti-drug initiative that he is organizing. "I want to help the interested parties work together. With a common goal of preventing and treating illegal substance use, we can make a difference, one community at a time," Grassley said.
In May, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Drug Free Communities Act of 1997, which was sponsored by Representative Rob Portman of Cincinnati, Ohio. President Bill Clinton is expected to sign the bill. Grassley serves as chairman of the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control.