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II. Executive Summary

Federal Funding Priorities:
FY 1999 - FY 2003


The 1998 National Drug Control Strategy is a ten-year plan. The Strategy is supported by a five-year budget from FY 1999 through FY 2003. The federal budget includes the following major programs, which will continue to be priorities for funding over this planning period. Through at least FY 2003, funding for these programs will be emphasized through ONDCP's drug budget certification authorities.

  • Media Campaign ($195 million in FY 1999): ONDCP is setting in motion a $195 million Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, which will use the full power of the media -- from TV to the Internet -- to teach kids about the dangers of drugs. This campaign is designed to discourage drug use by youth, increase the perception of risk and disapproval associated with drugs, and encourage parents and other adult leaders to talk to children about drugs.

  • School Drug-Prevention Coordinators ($50 million enhancement in FY 1999): This program will be funded through a competitive grant under the Safe and Drug-Free Schools program. It will provide public schools with grants for local educational agencies to pay salaries and benefits for about 1,300 school coordinators in FY 1999. Assuming that each coordinator will be able to serve five schools, the FY 1999 request will fund coordinators for approximately 6,500 middle schools nationwide. School Drug-Prevention Coordinators will be responsible for:

    • Assessing and analyzing their schools' drug and crime problems

    • Identifying research-based drug and violence prevention programs to address these problems

    • Assisting teachers, coaches, counselors, principals, and other school officials in implementing these programs

    • Working with the community to ensure that student needs are linked with available resources

    • Identifying alternative funding for drug prevention initiatives

  • Close the Public System Treatment Gap ($143 million enhancement in FY 1999): Nationwide, there continues to be a great need for drug treatment, especially for chronic users of illegal substances. The number of people needing but not obtaining treatment, or "the gap," is estimated at approximately 1.7 million. In FY 1999, the President's budget includes an additional $200 million ($143 million drug-related) for the Substance Abuse Block Grant administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

  • Port & Border Security Initiative ($105 million enhancement in FY 1999): In FY 1999, this initiative includes funding to expand INS by 1,000 Border Patrol agents and 100 Land Border inspectors ($25.7 million in drug-related resources); $46 million for the Customs Service, including $41 million for non-intrusive inspection systems; $15 million for the National Guard; and $3.6 million to enhance Coast Guard operations in the western Caribbean and eastern Pacific.

    Over the five-year planning period, this initiative seeks to improve security and enhance drug interdiction along all U.S. air, land, and sea frontiers and at all ports-of-entry. This effort will incorporate existing and planned federal drug-interdiction and investigative initiatives along U.S. borders and ports-of-entry. This initiative includes:

    • Increases for INS inspectors and border patrol agents

    • Increases in Customs staff

    • Increases for Coast Guard drug-related maritime law enforcement in the western Caribbean and eastern Pacific

    • Acquisition and deployment of drug-detection technologies

    • Infrastructure, technology, and support functions for all programs under this initiative

  • Andean Coca Reduction Initiative ($78 million enhancement in FY 1999): This program includes an additional $61 million in support from the Department of Defense and at least an additional $17 million in assistance to Andean Ridge countries from the Department of State. As part of a long-term plan, this initiative seeks to reduce coca leaf cultivation in Andean Ridge countries. To achieve this goal requires the integration of law-enforcement and interdiction measures, which disrupt cocaine exports with alternative development programs that provide licit income encouraging the cultivation of legal crops. This program also supports interdiction and law enforcement in the transit zone and transit countries to complement source-country counterdrug efforts. Key elements of this initiative through FY 2003 include:

    • Expand alternative development in Peru to increase licit employment and income to replace drug-crop cultivation

    • Support host-nation efforts to interdict the flow of coca base and cocaine

    • Expand support to Peruvian and Colombian riverine interdiction programs to control drug-producing regions

    • Support host nation efforts to expand law enforcement control within growing areas.

    • Develop a program to support Peruvian waterways management program which establishes control over ports and waterways

    • Expand support to Colombian aerial eradication programs

    • Expand support to source nation efforts to disrupt and dismantle trafficking organizations

    • Support efforts by the Bolivian government to achieve net coca reduction through comprehensive community-based alternative-development programs and law enforcement efforts

  • Caribbean Violent Crime and Regional Interdiction Initiative ($49 million enhancement in FY 1999): This initiative includes an additional $25 million to support Coast Guard drug interdiction operations, including $11 million in total for upgrades in sensors for C-130 aircraft and commercial communication satellites. Additional funding of $10 million is requested to enhance DEA field offices and foreign operations; $8 million is requested for DoD SOUTHCOM activities in the Caribbean; and $6 million for Department of State counterdrug funding in the Caribbean.

    Over the five-year budget planning period, counter-drug programs for the Caribbean will continue to emphasize illegal drug trafficking and violence in South Florida, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the independent states and territories of the eastern Caribbean. This initiative also includes:

    • Implementing mutual cooperative security agreements between the U.S. and Caribbean nations and territories

    • Continue to implement commitments made by the President of the United States during the Caribbean Summit held in Barbados

    • Expanding assistance to Caribbean nations participating in regional interdiction operations to support development of their maritime law enforcement capabilities

    • Training, equipment upgrades, and maintenance support for Caribbean drug-control efforts

  • Mexican Initiative ($8 million enhancement in FY 1999): The President's budget supports this initiative through an increase of $4 million to DoD's budget to expand training for Mexican counterdrug forces; $3 million in foreign assistance from the Department of State; and over $1 million to strengthen DEA's drug program capabilities. Over the five-year planning period for the budget, programs will be targeted that will reduce the flow of illicit drugs from Mexico into the U.S. and dismantle organizations trafficking in drugs and money laundering. This initiative supports agreements made during the President's visit last year to Mexico. Specifically, it emphasizes training for special vetted units of Mexican law enforcement personnel and prosecutors, the judiciary, special rapid response military units engaged in counter-drug operations, and health service providers involved in treatment programs. The programs also support Operation CAPER FOCUS and continue ongoing support to Operation BORDER SHIELD, U.S. Government support to the Northern Border Response Force, U.S. Government detection and monitoring missions in Mexican airspace and territorial seas, and the establishment of a joint law enforcement investigative capability in the Bilateral Border Task Forces.