Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Lifts Ban on Washington, D.C.’s Use of Local Funds for Needle-Exchange Programs

The Senate Appropriations Committee yesterday voted 16-13 to approve the District of Columbia's $5.3 billion FY 2002 budget and eliminate a federal ban on the city's use of local funds to establish needle-exchange programs, the Washington Post reports. Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), chair of the committee's subcommittee on the District, led the effort to end the congressional prohibition of the city's use of local funds for a needle exchange and other programs (Hsu, Washington Post, 10/12). Supporters say that the lifting of the "controversial provision" will help the city establish a needle exchange, which will help curb the spread of AIDS. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) said, "This program needs local funds given the AIDS epidemic" (Redland, WAMU News, 10/12).