Senators to Drug Czar: "You don't deserve a paycheck"

The Senate Appropriations Committee slammed the Drug Czar and his staff for "lethargy" and lack of communication, and moved to cut their salaries in half last month.

From the committee's report of H.R. 5576, the 2007 Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, the District of Columbia and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act:

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $11,500,000 for ONDCP's salaries and expenses. This amount is $11,809,000 below the budget request and $15,139,000 below the fiscal year 2006 enacted level.

The Committee is extremely displeased with the performance of ONDCP staff regarding their communication with the Committee and their responsiveness to congressional inquiries. ONDCP's lethargy and the inadequate information provided severely impacts the ability of the Committee to conduct its oversight and make budgetary decisions in a timely manner. This kind of unresponsiveness on the part of ONDCP results in an unnecessary waste of time and energy; numerous follow up communications are required in almost every instance. The Committee is particularly concerned that ONDCP has attempted to prevent the Committee from meeting with the directors of ONDCP programs. Therefore the Committee has reduced the salaries and expenses budget to more closely reflect actual performance.

Lethargy, eh? Sounds like ONDCP staffers have been smoking some of the evil marijuana they claim causes laziness and amotivation... ZING!

Link (search for "office of national drug control policy")