VALLEY CONGRESSMEN SEEK HEARING, SUMMIT ON METH

Leaders Cite Bee's Report On Drug's Devastating Effects On California, The
Nation.

Two Valley congressmen urged fellow lawmakers Wednesday to hold hearings
and a summit on the methamphetamine crisis in California.

Citing the alarming meth problem in the Central Valley, Rep. George
Radanovich called on Rep. Henry Hyde, chairman of the House Judiciary
Committee, to use his influence and schedule a hearing on the drug when the
107th Congress convenes in January.

In a letter sent Wednesday, Radano-vich, R-Mariposa, wrote to Hyde, R-Ill.,
that the methamphetamine problem was "plaguing the Central Valley of
California" and "use is increasing at an alarming rate."

Enclosed with the letter to Hyde was the 18-page special report, "A Madness
Called Meth," that was published jointly Oct. 8 by The Fresno Bee, Modesto
Bee and Sacramento Bee.

Click here to read "A Madness Called Meth."

"This report captures the degenerative effect of methamphetamine and the
direct impact it has on the Central Valley," Radanovich wrote. "As you will
discover, this is a unique region that deserves particular attention from
Congress and federal law enforcement."

Meanwhile, Rep. Cal Dooley, D-Hanford, and Rep. Gary Condit, D-Ceres, sent
letters Wednesday to California Sens. Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer,
both Democrats; Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Bakersfield; and Radanovich, requesting
they join them in convening a bipartisan and multi-agency Central Valley
methamphetamine summit in December.

"As you well know, an investigative report by the McClatchy Company's
California newspapers last week further documents the devastating impact of
this drug on Valley families, schools, law enforcement, hospitals and
social services," Dooley wrote.

Dooley's planned summit would convene after the National High Intensity
Drug Trafficking Area convention Dec. 4-6. The meth summit would include
members of the House and Senate judiciary committees, representatives of
the new administration and representatives of the Office of National Drug
Control Policy.

Lisa Quigley, Dooley's chief of staff, said that while she certainly
supports Radanovich's request for congressional hearings, the summit would
allow those involved to get "a jump start" on the possibility of additional
funding.

"If we could all get together before the holidays and come up with a
'to-do' list, it could make this joint effort produce faster results for
the Valley," Quigley said.

The special report by the three Bee newspapers has been useful in teaching
people throughout the country on the scope of the meth problem in the
Valley, Quigley said.

"The Bee report is enormously useful in terms of marketing the problem
outside of the Valley," said Quigley, who added that copies of the special
report have been sent to the White House. "Many people in the White House
have already read the Bee report, and that's really good, but they're going
to be gone soon after the Nov. 7 election. We want the new team in the
White House to read it, too."

Drug agents from the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area
have said repeatedly that they are grossly underfunded when compared with
the rest of the nation. The agency's budget for this year is $1.5 million,
the smallest of any in the country. By comparison, the Lake County, Ind.,
agency gets $3 million, and the Milwaukee agency receives $4.5 million.

Radanovich's letter to Hyde, who will step down as chairman of the
Judiciary Committee but is expected to retain much of his influence, also
told how the Central Valley is providing the rest of the nation with much
of the illegal drug.

The Drug Enforcement Administration has stated that as much as 90% of the
methamphetamine produced in United States comes from California. Federal,
state and local law enforcement agencies last year broke up 2,061
methamphetamine labs in California. Of the more than 200 super labs
discovered in 1999, 97% were in California. A super lab is one that can
produce 20 pounds or more of meth in a single cook.

The reporter can be reached at mkrikorian@fresnobee.com or at 441-6171.