Although the President’s FY 2014 Budget Request contained a $6.3 million cut to the Drug Free Communities (DFC) program, due to the collective advocacy of CADCA and the substance abuse prevention field, both the House and the Senate Appropriations Committees have recommended funding levels above the President’s Budget Request. 

Today, the full Senate Appropriations Committee marked up its version of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill, which contains funding for the DFC program. This bill funds the DFC program at a level of $92 million, which is level funding when compared to the FY 2013 level before sequestration. The full House Appropriations Committee has also marked up its version of this bill, and funded the program at a level of $88 million. 

While this is great news, the appropriations process is not yet complete, as the bill still has to go to conference. Typically, the House and Senate split the difference between their two bills. Therefore, in order to ensure that the DFC program receives the highest possible funding level in the final bill, it is imperative that the field responds en masse when CADCA issues the next Legislative Alert.

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