Further Continuing Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2007

FURTHER CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS, FISCAL YEAR 2007

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Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express great concern over the decreased funding for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in the Continuing Resolution for Fiscal Year 2007. Specifically, I am concerned about the drastic cuts to the Mobile Enforcement Teams (MET) and the Regional Enforcement Teams (RET). The MET and RET teams are on the front line each and every day assisting state and local law enforcement agencies to combat the onslaught of drug trafficking. The MET program will be reduced by $30 million and the RET Program will be reduced by $9 million. The priorities in this bill do not represent the priorities of this Nation. How is it that $50 million can be set aside for a rainforest in Iowa in a so-called earmark-free continuing resolution, yet the DEA faces a massive reduction?

The district I represent, California's Fourth Congressional District, will feel the effects of these cuts. In particular, Nevada County faces a tremendous battle with methamphetamines every day. Methamphetamines are becoming an epidemic in this country. This reduction in funding will not only hurt the efforts of law enforcement, but also everyone who lives in a neighborhood being overrun with drugs and drug traffickers. This is the wrong time to be cutting the federal government's primary tool to combat methamphetamine on a local level.

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