- Though Johnstown's National Drug Intelligence Center survived the latest federal budget battle, its future remains uncertain.
A budget deal for the remainder of this fiscal year cut the center's spending by about 23 percent.
And deeper funding cuts still are possible, especially since President Barack Obama has proposed slashing the center's budget for the next fiscal year.
Through it all, the Washington Street agency has continued to monitor drug abuse and trafficking – most recently by releasing a report on drug and gang activity in eastern Pennsylvania. That report "highlighted a regional crisis that cannot be ignored," said U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, a Pennsylvania Democrat who has fought to preserve NDIC.
When George W. Bush occupied the White House, NDIC was a frequent budget-cutting target. But Bush repeatedly was thwarted by U.S. Rep. John Murtha, whose influence brought the center to JohnsÂto...
Post new comment