Denver, CO-The Defending America's Most Vulnerable: Safe Access to Drug Treatment and Child Protection Act of 2005 (HR 1528), which was introduced in the House Judiciary Committee by Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner, does little to protect children and may, if passed, do more to harm them.
Travis Nicks, Chair of the Libertarian Party of Colorado (LPCO) commented, “in light of the recent supreme court ruling (Ashcroft vs. Raich), HR 1528 would grant more authority virtually unchecked, to the federal government.”
HR 1528 targets first-time offenders in cases involving illegal drugs as well as non-offenders. HR 1528 creates a new offense targeting perfectly innocent bystanders, who witness or learn of possible drug trafficking (trafficking could involve as little as the passing of a marijuana joint).
A non-offender who learns of, or witnesses and fails to report, such trafficking within 24 hours, could face a mandatory 2 year prison term for failure to provide full assistance to authorities for prosecution.
It could be a 5 year mandatory term if an individual passes a marijuana joint at a party to someone who has previously been enrolled in a drug treatment plan.
It could be a 10 year mandatory prison term for parents who witness or learn about drug activities, and do not report to authorities within 24 hours. Under HR 1528 they would be required to provide authorities full assistance in investigating, apprehending, and prosecuting. This could make parents informants against their own children. This bill could prevent a family from choosing how to best treat a family member who may have a drug problem. They (the family) could all end up in jail, leaving the children to state managed foster care. HR 1528 does little to help the children, or the family member with the drug problem who has no chance at drug treatment.
Under HR 1528, it could be life in prison without the possibility for parole for an offender who violates and falls under the "three strikes your out" law. This bill would take the discretion away from judges during sentencing.
Drug Treatment Facilities are hindered, as this legislation makes it a federal crime, in many instances, to hand out paraphernalia (distributing sterile syringes to prevent the spread of Aids and Hepatitis).
HR 1528 creates a fear of imprisonment for innocent people who may be forced to target, spy, and help prosecute, their neighbors, friends, or family members, in essence, drafting them to the front-lines in the "War On Drugs (WOD)".
The Libertarian Party of Colorado (LPCO) believes that HR 1528 is a threat to individual liberty that will result in continued invasions of privacy as neighbor turns against neighbor and turns U.S. citizens all into a nation of snitches.
The Libertarian Party of Colorado condemns the “War on Drugs” and believes that the passage of the Defending America's Most Vulnerable: Safe Access to Drug Treatment and Child Protection Act of 2005 (HR 1528) will do more to harm children and families than help them.
Coloradoans should contact their representatives and urge them to vote against passage of HR 1528.
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