House OKs Death Penalty in Drug Bill

The House overwhelmingly passed a compromise election-year anti-drug bill today that includes the death penalty for what one lawmaker called “scum-of-the-earth” pushers convicted of drug-related murders.

The bill passed 391 to 23.

The measure now goes to the Senate, where some members have indicated that they will filibuster against any drug bill containing the death penalty.

Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.), chairman of the House Select Committee on Narcotics Abuse and Control, said when the compromise bill was struck on Tuesday, however, that he had assurances from “all of the senators” who oppose the death penalty that they “will not filibuster” to block final passage.

The compromise bill eliminates all but one of the controversial amendments added when the House passed its version of the drug bill last month. It also eliminates the extraneous amendments the Senate added when it passed its version of the bill last week.

‘Required . . . Weaponry’

The only controversial provision left in the bill is an amendment added by Rep. George W. Gekas (R-Pa.) calling for the death penalty for drug kingpins convicted of some drug-related murders. Under current federal law, skyjackers convicted of murder are the only people whose crimes carry the death penalty.

“The inclusion of the death penalty for those individuals who as drug kingpins will stop at nothing to further their enterprise is exactly what is required as weaponry in this war on drugs,” Gekas said. “We have an obligation to hold the death penalty over their heads.”

In addition to the death penalty, the bill authorizes at least $1.6 billion for a number of new drug enforcement, eradication, interdiction, education and treatment programs. It also authorizes funding for additional judges, prisons and prosecutors.