I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1599
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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 3, 2003
Mr. CUMMINGS (for himself and Mr. SOUDER) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Government Reform, and in ad-
dition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee con-
cerned 
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 traf-
ficking areas.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Dawson Family Com-
munity Protection Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) In the early morning hours of October 16, 
2002, the home of Carnell and Angela Dawson was 
firebombed 
in 
apparent 
retaliation 
for 
Mrs. 
Dawson’s notification of police about persistent drug 
distribution activity in their East Baltimore City 
neighborhood. 
(2) The arson claimed the lives of Mr. and Mrs. 
Dawson and their 5 young children, aged 9 to 14. 
(3) The horrific murder of the Dawson family 
is a stark example of domestic narco-terrorism. 
(4) In all phases of counter-narcotics law en-
forcement—from prevention to investigation to pros-
ecution to reentry—the voluntary cooperation of or-
dinary citizens is a critical component. 
(5) Voluntary cooperation is difficult for law en-
forcement officials to obtain when citizens feel that 
cooperation carries the risk of violent retaliation by 
illegal drug trafficking organizations and their affili-
ates. 
(6) Public confidence that law enforcement is 
doing all it can to make communities safe is a pre-
requisite for voluntary cooperation among people 
who may be subject to intimidation or reprisal (or 
both).
(7) Witness protection programs are insufficient 
on their own to provide security because many indi-
viduals and families who strive everyday to make 
distressed neighborhoods livable for their children, 
other relatives, and neighbors will resist or refuse of-
fers of relocation by local, State, and Federal pros-
ecutorial agencies and because, moreover, the contin-
ued presence of strong individuals and families is 
critical to preserving and strengthening the social 
fabric in such communities. 
(8) Where (as in certain sections of Baltimore 
City) interstate trafficking of illegal drugs has severe 
ancillary local consequences within areas designated 
as High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, it is im-
portant that supplementary HIDTA Program funds 
be committed to support initiatives aimed at making 
the affected communities safe for the residents of 
those communities and encouraging their coopera-
tion with local, State, and Federal law enforcement 
efforts to combat illegal drug trafficking. 
SEC. 3. FUNDING FOR CERTAIN HIGH INTENSITY DRUG 
TRAFFICKING AREAS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 707(d) of the Office of 
National Drug Control Policy Act Reauthorization Act of
1998 (21 U.S.C. 1760(d); Public Law 105–277; 112 Stat. 
2681-670) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘The Director’’ and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(1) LIMITATION.—The Director’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(2) SPECIFIC PURPOSES.—The Director shall 
ensure that, of the amounts appropriated for a fiscal 
year for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas 
Program, at least $1,000,000 is used in high inten-
sity drug trafficking areas with severe neighborhood 
safety and illegal drug distribution problems. The 
funds shall be used—
‘‘(A) to ensure the safety of neighborhoods 
and the protection of communities, including 
the prevention of the intimidation of potential 
witnesses of illegal drug distribution and related 
activities; and 
‘‘(B) to combat illegal drug trafficking 
through such methods as the Director considers 
appropriate, such as establishing or operating 
(or both) a toll-free telephone hotline for use by
the public to provide information about illegal 
drug-related activities.’’.
Æ