February 2022 Squeal Award: CRACK-ing Down on the Biden Administration’s Taxpayer-Funded Crack Kit Scheme

When Iowans hear about the outlandish ways in which Washington wastes their hard earned tax dollars, I’m often asked if the folks making these spending decisions are on crack.

Well, it turns out some are!

As part of a new Biden administration initiative, “people who use drugs” will help decide how to spend nearly $30 million of your tax dollars on smoking kits and drug equipment and supplies for other drug users. 

While the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) initially confirmed crack pipes would be included, the administration is now attempting to backtrack, saying the pipes won’t be part of the deal.

Regardless of the latest line the administration is pushing, the program announcement is not so crystal clear on if crack pipes will be included.

What is explicitly stated, however, is that the effort will also seek to “address the stigma often associated with substance use.” Presumably, this means reversing the public’s negative views towards drug abuse.

Folks, I don’t think most Iowans or any American, especially those who have endured watching a loved one suffer from the terrible pains of addiction, want their tax dollars spent conveying any message about drug abuse other than “crack is wack” and treatment is available to help get your life back.

This federal program is funded as part of the so-called American Rescue Plan, which the Democrats sold to the American public as an emergency bill that would provide COVID relief and rescue the American economy.

A year after the nearly $2 trillion package was passed on a straight party line vote, the results are in: Everything costs more…well except crack kits are free!

With Americans struggling to get by with out-of-control price increases, bare shelves, and backlogs, including a short supply of COVID treatments, spending tax dollars on crack kits is, quite frankly, dopey.

The Biden administration needs to sober up from its out of control budget bender and stop making problems worse.

For these reasons, I am awarding my February 2022 Squeal Award to HHS for this crackpot idea that puts drug abusers in charge of designing crack kits and distributing drug paraphernalia at taxpayer expense.

It is also why I am continuing my efforts to crack down on the Biden administration’s wasteful spending addiction by sponsoring the Cutting off Rampant Access to Crack Kits (CRACK) Act which would prohibit taxpayer dollars from directly or indirectly purchasing, supplying, or distributing crack pipes or similar drug paraphernalia. 

Do you have an example of government waste or inefficiencies that I should take a look at? Send me an email by clicking here.

Thank you!