Senate Passes Two Key Anti-Meth Measures

SENATE PASSES TWO KEY ANTI-METH MEASURES

Nebraska's Senator Ben Nelson is cosponsor of bipartisan amendment that restores funding to Byrne and other grant programs used to fight meth

The U.S. Senate today passed unanimously an amendment that restores funding for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program. The amendment is cosponsored by Nebraska's Senator Ben Nelson and was offered by Senators Mark Dayton of Minnesota and Saxby Chambliss of Georgia.

The amendment, adopted as part of the FY 2006 State, Justice, and Commerce spending bill, would restore the grant funding to the Fiscal Year 2003 level.

"Our state and local law enforcement officials are in a constant struggle against the scourge of meth and other illegal drugs and listening to them over the years is why I have consistently supported funding the fight against meth," said Senator Nelson. "Recent federal budgets have offered cuts in funding to fight meth even as the problem grows nationally. We shouldn't be reducing funds to local law enforcement while we continue to ask them to do more in the areas of homeland security and protecting our neighborhoods."

The Byrne Grant program targets the demand and supply of illegal drugs, including meth. It allows Nebraska law enforcement agencies to acquire new personnel, equipment, training, technical assistance, and information systems, and to provide services for the victims. It also provides critical funding to Nebraska's 9 regional drug task forces tasked with combating the epidemic of meth trafficking and production in local communities.

Mark Overman, member of the WING Task Force in Scottsbluff said, "This is good news for every task force in Nebraska. With a very serious methamphetamine problem, the cuts to these task forces in recent years meant fewer officers dealing with this very significant problem. This restoration of Byrne money will be very important to add resources where they are needed. We are very appreciative of Senator Nelson's work on this in addition to the entire Nebraska congressional delegation."

Chief Thomas Warren of the Omaha Police Department said, "The funds provided by the Byrne - Justice Assistance Grants enable State and Local agencies to implement comprehensive strategies that include crime prevention, intervention and enforcement components. This financial assistance enhances our ability to reduce crime and violence, drug distribution and gang activity".

"The Byrne program is critical in assisted funding to the State of Nebraska's nine local multi-jurisdictional drug task forces which covers approximately 70% of the Nebraska's 93 counties and one statewide task force. As a result of the task force operations, an average of 5,000 individuals are arrested per year in Nebraska for illegal drug activities. The majority of these cases involve methamphetamine. Methamphetamine is found in the cities and rural areas Nebraska, and causes health and environmental problems. In addition, the Byrne program provides critical funding to keep Nebraska law enforcement officers trained in investigating methamphetamine cases," said Michael E. Behm, Executive Director of the Nebraska Crime Commission.

Nebraska has used the Byrne funds to develop and operate 9 multi-jurisdictional drug task forces; training for law enforcement officers; implement and upgrade the State's Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS); support for the operation of rural Drug Courts; develop and implement a comprehensive treatment program for drug offenders within the State Dept. of Corrections; train law enforcement officers; develop and operate a Drug Prosecution Unit in the Attorney General's office; and to develop and operate the computerized Nebraska Criminal Justice Information System.

According to the Nebraska Crime Commission (NCC), in 2004 Nebraska received $3.6 million in Byrne funds to subgrant to state and local entities for fighting meth and other purposes. The NCC award for 2005 was 2.1 million. As a result of the task force operations, an average of 5,000 individuals are arrested per year for illegal drug activities. The majority of the arrests involve methamphetamine.

Additionally, on Friday, also as part of the CJS Appropriations bill, the Combat Meth Act was approved by the Senate. Many states, including Nebraska, have passed laws trying to address the meth problem. Because meth can be made with the use of over-the-counter drugs that contain the ingredient pseudoephedrine (eg. cold, sinus medicines), many of these laws have tried to limit and/or make it more difficult to purchase pseudoephedrine products. The Combat Meth Act will set a federal minimum for the treatment of pseudoephedrine products by placing them behind the counter, requiring a signature and identification for purchases, and setting a monthly limit of 7.5 grams per person.

As a cosponsor of this legislation, Senator Nelson sought to make changes that would create protections for rural consumers. The result is a provision that would allow the DEA and States to develop alternative procedures to continue to allow cold medicine to be sold at retail stores without pharmacies and in rural areas which meet appropriate security criteria.) Additionally, the Combat Meth Act authorizes more funding for to help fight meth, including enforcement, training and research dollars.

Once the Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations bill passes the full Senate it will go to a conference committee between the House and the Senate.

http://bennelson.senate.gov/news/details.cfm?id=245777&&