II 

108TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2081

To amend the Office of National Drug Control Policy Act Reauthorization 

Act of 1998 to ensure that adequate funding is provided for certain 

high intensity drug trafficking areas. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 12, 2004

Ms. MIKULSKI (for herself, Mr. SARBANES, Mr. HATCH, and Mr. BIDEN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL

To amend the Office of National Drug Control Policy Act 

Reauthorization Act of 1998 to ensure that adequate 

funding is provided for certain high intensity drug trafficking areas.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Dawson Family Com5 munity Protection Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 
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•S 2081 IS 

1 (1) In the early morning hours of October 16, 

2 2002, the home of Carnell and Angela Dawson was 

3 firebombed in apparent retaliation for Mrs. 

4 Dawson’s notification of police about persistent drug 

5 distribution activity in their East Baltimore City 

6 neighborhood. 

7 (2) The arson claimed the lives of Mr. and Mrs. 

8 Dawson and their 5 young children, aged 9 to 14. 

9 (3) The horrific murder of the Dawson family 

10 is a stark example of domestic narco-terrorism. 

11 (4) In all phases of counter-narcotics law en12 forcement—from prevention to investigation to pros13 ecution to reentry—the voluntary cooperation of or14 dinary citizens is a critical component. 

15 (5) Voluntary cooperation is difficult for law en16 forcement officials to obtain when citizens feel that 

17 cooperation carries the risk of violent retaliation by 

18 illegal drug trafficking organizations and their affili19 ates. 

20 (6) Public confidence that law enforcement is 

21 doing all it can to make communities safe is a pre22 requisite for voluntary cooperation among people 

23 who may be subject to intimidation or reprisal (or 

24 both). 
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•S 2081 IS 

1 (7) Witness protection programs are insufficient 

2 on their own to provide security because many indi3 viduals and families who strive every day to make 

4 distressed neighborhoods livable for their children, 

5 other relatives, and neighbors will resist or refuse of6 fers of relocation by local, State, and Federal pros7 ecutorial agencies and because, moreover, the contin8 ued presence of strong individuals and families is 

9 critical to preserving and strengthening the social 

10 fabric in such communities. 

11 (8) Where (as in certain sections of Baltimore 

12 City) interstate trafficking of illegal drugs has severe 

13 ancillary local consequences within areas designated 

14 as High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, it is im15 portant that supplementary HIDTA Program funds 

16 be committed to support initiatives aimed at making 

17 the affected communities safe for the residents of 

18 those communities and encouraging their coopera19 tion with local, State, and Federal law enforcement 

20 efforts to combat illegal drug trafficking. 

21 SEC. 3. FUNDING FOR CERTAIN HIGH INTENSITY DRUG 

22 TRAFFICKING AREAS. 

23 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 707(d) of the Office of 

24 National Drug Control Policy Act Reauthorization Act of 
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•S 2081 IS 

1 1998 (21 U.S.C. 1706(d); Public Law 105–277; 112 Stat. 

2 2681–670) is amended to read as follows: 

3 ‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION AND USE OF FUNDS.—

4 ‘‘(1) AUTHORIZATION.—There are authorized to 

5 be appropriated $5,000,000 to be used in high inten6 sity drug trafficking areas with severe neighborhood 

7 safety and illegal drug distribution problems to—

8 ‘‘(A) ensure the safety of neighborhoods 

9 and the protection of communities, including 

10 the prevention of the intimidation of potential 

11 witnesses of illegal drug distribution and related 

12 activities; and 

13 ‘‘(B) combat illegal drug trafficking 

14 through such methods as the Director considers 

15 appropriate, such as establishing or operating 

16 (or both) a toll-free telephone hotline for use by 

17 the public to provide information about illegal 

18 drug-related activities. 

19 ‘‘(2) USE OF FUNDS.—The Director shall en20 sure that no Federal funds appropriated for the 

21 High Intensity Drug Trafficking Program are ex22 pended for the establishment or expansion of drug 

23 treatment programs.’’.

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