WASHINGTON — A key House spending bill would maintain funding for several major substance use prevention programs, pushing back on proposed cuts and structural changes outlined in President Donald Trump’s budget request.
The House Appropriations Committee’s Financial Services and General Government bill for fiscal year 2027 keeps funding for multiple programs at or near current levels and rejects proposals to shift them to different federal agencies.
Among the programs included:
- The Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Program would be funded at $109 million, matching fiscal year 2026 levels and significantly higher than the $70 million proposed in the president’s budget. The House bill also keeps the program within the Office of National Drug Control Policy, rejecting a proposal to move it to a newly suggested Administration for a Healthy America.
- The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) Section 103 enhancement grants would remain funded at $5.2 million. The president’s budget had proposed eliminating the program entirely, but the House bill maintains current funding levels.
- The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Program would receive $299.6 million, a $1 million increase from the previous year. Lawmakers also rejected a proposal to move the program from the Office of National Drug Control Policy to the Department of Justice.
Advocates say the funding is critical as the nation continues to face widespread substance use challenges. According to the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 48.4 million Americans age 12 and older, about 17% of the population, experienced a substance use disorder in the past year.
Organizations like Emily’s Hope have been meeting with lawmakers, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, to support continued funding for prevention and recovery efforts.
The bill still faces several steps before becoming law. The full House must approve it, the Senate will draft its own version, and any differences will need to be resolved before it is sent to the president for final approval.
