Case: New Anti-Meth Legislation is the Most Comprehensive Strike Against "Ice" Epidemic

Case: New Anti-Meth Legislation is the Most Comprehensive Strike Against "Ice" Epidemic

Congressional field activities on the Big Island and Maui helped craft the legislation awaiting the President's signature

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Ed Case (2nd District, Hawaii) said Congress has today completed work on the first-ever comprehensive bill that attacks the nation's growing "ice" epidemic and has sent the measure to the President for his signature.

"This bill is essential in our efforts to attack trafficking of crystal meth both in the United States and abroad by restricting the sale of cold medicines containing chemicals, like pseudoephedrine, that may be used to manufacture crystal meth. And the bill imposes tougher penalties on individuals who distribute and manufacture the drug," said Case who, as member of the Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine, was an original co-sponsor of the bill, entitled the "Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act" (included as Title VII in H.R. 3199, the USA Patriot Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005, which passed the U.S. House tonight after earlier passing the U.S. Senate).

"This legislation is the result of hearings across the country by the House Drug Policy Subcommittee, chaired by Congressman Mark Souder of Indiana, who at my suggestion brought his subcommittee last year to the Big Island for a field hearing and to Maui for meetings on "ice." I joined Congressman Souder at those activities to hear state, county and federal officials discuss their needs in addressing the "ice" trafficking problem in Hawaii," said Case. Souder said the legislation is the result of numerous hearings by his subcommittee and collaboration with members of the Congressional Meth Caucus.

The Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act includes provisions that will:

* Prohibit individuals from purchasing over 3.6 grams in a day or 9.0 grams in 30 days of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine products (precursor drugs)

* Require that precursor drugs be sold from behind the counter or kept in a locked cabinet

* Require that individuals show I.D. and sign a log book upon purchase of precursor drugs

* Impose quantity restrictions and reporting requirements on mail order, Internet, and "flea market" sales of precursor drugs

* Eliminate an existing loophole in federal law that allows unlimited sales of pseudoephedrine pills as long as they are sold in "blister packs"

* Toughen federal penalties for methamphetamine traffickers and smugglers as well as those who cook or deal methamphetamine in the presence of children

* Require reporting of major meth precursor exporters and importers, and would hold them accountable for their efforts to prevent diversion to meth production

* Require information from importers on the "chain of custody" from foreign manufacturer to U.S. shores of precursor chemicals.

However, Case said that more action is needed, noting that the House has also approved a bill (H.R. 798, the Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act of 2005) he originally co-sponsored to help protect unsuspecting families who may move into homes previously used as meth labs. This bill is pending in a Senate committee.

"The increasing number of meth labs across our nation threatens unsuspecting families who move into residences where such labs were once located. Last year, the 30 meth labs seized in Hawaii were among 17,000 home-based labs nationwide. This bill would protect those families from residual hidden toxins that may be left behind in such homes. The legislation initiates research to develop meth detection equipment and to study the effects of meth labs on residences which were used as labs."

Case said approval by the House and Senate of "The Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act" and House approval of H.R. 798 signals significant progress in efforts to attack the "ice" problem nationally. Earlier this session, Congress also approved $2.6 billion in drug-related funding provided by two major appropriations bills which became law last November, said Case. Those funds included:

* $1.68 billion for the DEA, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.

* $416.4 million for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program?a program that the House and Senate retained, despite an administration proposal to end it. The program is a partnership among federal, state, and local governments to improve the functioning of the criminal justice system?with emphasis on violent crime and serious offenders.

* $478.3 million for the Community Oriented Policing Services, also known as the COPS program, which is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide and supporting law enforcement agencies.

* $3 million for the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, a nonprofit coalition of communication, health, medical and educational professionals working to reduce illicit drug use through research-based educational campaigns. The organization launched a major crystal meth reduction program in fiscal year 2005.

* $335 million to other programs, such as the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Office of National Drug Control Policy, Drug-Free Communities Program, and the National Alliance for Model State Drug Laws.

"In 2006, my Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine will be urging the President's Office of National Drug Control Policy to adopt a wide range of our additional recommendations to continue to fight crystal meth. These recommendations call for states to develop statewide partnerships against meth and a nationwide prevention initiative that follows innovative models in states such as Washington and South Dakota," said Case.

"The war on meth has made good progress, but the epidemic has now developed into a national crisis that has stricken an estimated 1.4 million abusers nationwide-many of them in rural communities. These are staggering figures that demand our continued attention and vigilance on Capitol Hill and in our communities."

http://wwwc.house.gov/case/press_releases/2006/2006-08.html