2006 is already turning out to be a good year for reform.

Just before the holidays the Senate voted to reform the provision of the Higher Education Act that makes students with drug convictions ineligible for federal financial aid. The House is almost certain to pass it early this year. Under the new rules, students with past convictions could receive aid. However, students convicted while in school would still lose their eligibility, so there remains more work to do to fully repeal the provision. Congratulations to SSDP and DRCNet who are leading the fight!!

In other good news, Congressman Souder's draconian methamphetamine bill didn't pass! The drug war zealots' plan to pass the bill by sneaking it into the PATRIOT Act backfired when the PATRIOT Act renewal itself died. However, Souder is likely to introduce bad methamphetamine legislation again this year. The Alliance will be watching, and let you know when he does.

The Alliance has big plans in Congress this year, including:

• Increasing support for medical marijuana;
• Continuing to cut funding to those stupid anti-marijuana ads;
• Continuing to cut funding to the Bryne grant program, which supports out-of-control drug task forces, while reforming it to reduce racial disparities, civil rights abuses, and police corruption; and
• Passing Congressman Bobby Scott’s (D-VA) bill to suspend federal laws that prohibit victims of hurricanes from receiving public housing, food stamps, and other forms of public assistance.

We will also release a voter guide within the next week or two to help you figure out if your member of Congress is a reform hero or a drug war villain.

In addition to this DC-based Congressional work, the Alliance will expand its focus to include the local DC metropolitan area. This local organizing project will emphasize comprehensive, community-based, harm reduction strategies to deal with drug abuse and the devastation of current drug policies in the nation's capitol. Naomi Long, who previously worked in our Office of National Affairs, will be coordinating this important project.

Now for the gratuitous fundraising pitch. We encourage everyone who reads this to give at least $5 to our lobbying efforts. The more people that contribute, the more we can lobby for reform this year, and the quicker we can end the failed war on drugs. (Since not everyone will give $5, we encourage those who can give more to give more.)