Sen. Schumer demands funds restored for war on drugs
Sen. Charles Schumer announced Tuesday that $154 million will be cut from the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Bureau of Tobacco and Fire Arms and the US Marshal Service. The senator joined Suffolk District
News 12 Staff
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Aug 12, 2015, 1:36 AM
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Updated 3,177 days ago
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Sen. Charles Schumer announced Tuesday that $154 million will be cut from the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Bureau of Tobacco and Fire Arms and the US Marshal Service.
The senator joined Suffolk District Attorney Tom Spota at a news conference to urge Congress to restore these critical cuts.
"Now is simply not the time for the DEA and other agencies to take a machete to their budgets," said Sen. Schumer.
"If this money is cut...it's a free pass for the drug cartels," said Spota.
Drug addiction expert Dr. Jeff Reynolds agrees.
"Unless you address the supply, fighting the demand tends to be a losing battle," Reynolds told News 12.
Sen. Schumer said the funding cuts also resulted in a hiring freeze at the DEA. He expects the budget fights to continue when Congress returns to work in September.
