Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act of 2005

METHAMPHETAMINE REMEDIATION RESEARCH ACT OF 2005 -- (House of Representatives - December 13, 2005)

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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 798, the Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act. I commend Mr. Gordon, Mr. Calvert, and Mr. Boehlert for their work introducing this important legislation; and bringing it to the floor.

Meth is a scourge on our communities. It is literally a chemical cocktail, made from hazardous, caustic substances. In the process of cooking a batch of meth, those chemicals seep into the interior of a home. Often, unsuspecting, innocent families move into these houses and apartments, completely unaware that the new home was once used to cook meth. It isn't until they become ill that they learn something is wrong, terribly wrong.

DEA reported over 17,000 meth lab busts last year in 47 states. There is currently no federal standard to determine when a former lab is safe to inhabit. This bill will do that.

H.R. 798 will establish a research program to develop voluntary, health-based, model guidelines for the clean-up of former meth labs. It will establish a research program to develop meth detection equipment for use by first responders, and will require a study on the long-term health impacts on first responders and children taken from meth labs.

It is important for us to know when a house used as a meth lab is safe to inhabit again. It is important that we know the health impacts of exposure to a meth lab. This bill will do both of these things. As a Co-Chair of the Meth Caucus, I am proud to see an important meth bill like this one finally see its day on the floor. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes''.

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