Pubdate: Sat, 28 Jul 2001
Source: Blade, The (OH)
Copyright: 2001 The Blade
Contact:  http://www.toledoblade.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/48
Author: Ann Mcfeatters

KAPTUR LOSES ON A DRUG PROGRAM

Narrow House Vote Upholds Bush Budget.

WASHINGTON - Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur of Toledo locked horns with the 
Bush administration yesterday over its effort to end a program aimed at 
eliminating drugs in public housing but lost a narrow vote on the House floor.

The program funnels up to $800,000 a year to Toledo for such things as 
community policing in housing projects. It is not included in President 
Bush's $1.7 trillion proposed budget.

"America, I hope, will regain her footing through the Senate," which is 
narrowly controlled by Democrats, Miss Kaptur, a Democrat, said after the 
House voted 197 to 213 to defeat her amendment to spend $175 million to 
continue the program set up in 1988 in the Reagan administration to 
eradicate drugs in public housing. "Why anybody would be against crime and 
getting rid of drugs is beyond me," she said.

She said that opponents of her amendment, mostly Republicans, "are killing 
the most effective drug-elimination program this country has that is coast 
to coast in some of the most impacted areas. They voted for criminals and 
for increasing the drug trade and for hurting some of the most vulnerable 
people in our society. They cast a very, very mean and unworthy vote."

The debate was highly emotional, with many of the amendment's supporters 
claiming opponents don't understand conditions in public housing. At one 
point John Conyers (D., Detroit, Mich.), said, "I just lifted myself off 
the floor when I heard Mr. [James] Walsh (R., N.Y.) say there is no proof 
that public housing has more drug abuse than anywhere else. Where have you 
been, sir?"

Anthony Weiner (D., N.Y.) said, "We've had a 30 percent decrease in crime 
in public housing because of the program."

Mr. Walsh, however, argued, "There has never been a study to show that this 
drug elimination program is successful. It has never been declared a 
success by the federal government. The program started at $8 million, and 
now just one city, New York, gets $35 million to $40 million for this 
program, and half of that goes to pay New York police officers, and that's 
what the crime bill is for."

Sue Kelly (D., N.Y.) said there was too much "waste, fraud, and abuse" in 
the program and said some funds were used for consultants, basketball 
programs, beepers, and "creative wellness" programs that involved sorting 
out colors and personalities. "We need housing, not incense," she said.

Opponents of Miss Kaptur's amendment, including homebuilders, said that the 
$175 million should be used for a proposal being floated by President Bush 
to help low-income families with down payments to buy a house. She 
countered that the program has not yet been sent to Congress. "You don't 
fence off funds in existing programs for future programs," she said.

Miss Kaptur said the House action "sends a shock wave through public 
housing authorities across the country." For example, she said that in 
Toledo and in most cities it was difficult for a federal housing authority 
to establish ties with local police. If the drug elimination program dies, 
she said, such cooperation will be lost.

The program is not necessarily dead. If the Senate votes to preserve the 
program, a House and Senate conference committee would decide whether to 
keep it.
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MAP posted-by: GD