March 30, 1998

DRUG TEST EDITORIAL

Putting Congress on the front lines of the drug war

CONGRESSIONAL Republicans are backing a plan to require random drug testing of House members and their staffs: Four to six times per year, one quarter of representatives and staffers would be required to urinate for a drug-free America.

The House already has voted for random drug-testing—if majority and minority leaders go along. So far, Democratic leader Richard Gephardt has blocked implementation, saying it’s unnecessary.

Traditionally, alcohol is the drug of choice for Congress members, and there’s no evidence the Capitol has turned into a dope den.

But there’s some merit in forcing national lawmakers to experience the loss of privacy and liberties required to fight the drug war. For the full effect, the new plan should include drug-sniffing dogs nuzzling briefcases, confiscation of "excess" cash that might be the proceeds of illegal transactions, no-knock raids on congressional hideaways, mandatory minimum sentences to pressure "little fish" to implicate "big fish" and undercover agents setting up "buys" of poppy-seed bagels.