MacArthur leading charge to restore funding for the Office of National Drug Control Policy

The Office of National Drug Control Policy seeks room in President Donald Trump's tentative budget which Shore Congressman Tom MacArthur (3rd-District) who also co-chairs the Bipartisan Heroin Abuse Task Force in Washington D.C. is leading a charge to restore it, with a special focus given to Ocean County.

(Bonus WOBM-YouTube video)

MacArthur says that Ocean County needs extra funding through designation as a 'high-intensity-drug-trafficking-area' and with no guarantee for a boost in the account balance, there is some concern for its future.

"I'm involved in pushing to get Ocean County designated as a 'hida'," said MacArthur. "We have an unusual problem in our county...that goes away if there's no funding."

The Republican Congressman says the ongoing fight against drug dealers can't be truly effective without a full collaboration of the thousands of local, state and federal authorities.

"They have to be coordinated properly if they're going to be able to really work together," said MacArthur. "That's one of the things that the O-N-D-C-P does."

MacArthur and Heroin Abuse Task Force Co-Chair, Democratic Congresswoman Annie Kuster of New Hampshire, continue pushing Congressional budget officers to restore the O-N-D-C-P to high intensity drug trafficking areas.

"We want to see those fully funded," said MacArthur. "There's a lot of programs that fall under those two budgets."

The Congressman explains that the designation as a high intensity drug trafficking area would give Ocean County Law Enforcement powerful physical support and a number of resources.

"It's having DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) agents in place that can help local police identify gang members and try to get involved early would help in trying to keep these groups at bay," said MacArthur.

MacArthur says that the Bipartisan Heroin Abuse Task Force he co-chairs is holding drug related agencies financially accountable.

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