DRUG CONTROL: ONDCP Efforts to Manage the National Drug Control Budget

The nations war on drugs represents a considerable investment of resources and dollarsalmost $18 billion is reported in the fiscal year 1999federal budget for drug control programs. This report responds to the request of former Chairman Hastert that we examine the role of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) in shaping the national drug control budget that the President ultimately proposes to Congress to implement the National Drug Control Strategy. Specifically, this report 1. assesses whether the process ONDCP followed to certify federal agencies drug control budgets for fiscal year 1999 was consistent with statutory requirements, and 2. describes the system ONDCP has developed to assess the extent to which drug control agencies and programs achieve intended results. As we agreed with the Subcommittee, our work focused primarily on ONDCP and four drug control agenciesthe Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Customs Service, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the Department of Defense (DOD).