THE LAWMAKERS: FEWER ANTI-METH BILLS ARE EXPECTED THIS YEAR

07 More Likely To Be Used To Assess Recently Passed Laws

WASHINGTON -- The House meth caucus is bigger than ever. Anti-meth
bills are proliferating, their titles more elaborate by the day.

But none of this means the 110th Congress will do something new about the drug.

Instead, 2007 may turn out to be a year for consolidation, as
lawmakers evaluate results from their most recent anti-meth package
signed by President Bush in March.

"I want to see what happens," Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein said.
"I'm open to what the needs are, but we're going to try and answer
the question of how well the last bill is working."

Feinstein, D-Calif., was one of the chief sponsors of the 2006 Combat
Meth Act, passed as part of a larger anti-terrorism bill. Cold
medicines take the biggest hit in the law, which kicked in Sept. 30.

In hopes of denying meth producers a key ingredient, the law moves
cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine behind the counter. It
limits individual monthly purchases to 9 grams, or about 300 cold
pills, and it requires signatures and identification for purchases.

"The bill introduces common-sense safeguards," Bush said.

Some provisions take effect automatically. Others do not, and their
impact is contingent on future congressional action.

The 2006 legislation, for instance, author-izes $99 million a year
for meth-related enforcement, training and research. Next year,
though, lawmakers must decide how much money to actually provide.
Meth needs will be competing against other law enforcement priorities.

A test arrived this month, when the Bush administration released its
proposed fiscal 2008 budget. Bush disappointed lawmakers again by
proposing to cut funds for certain law enforcement programs,
including the Community Oriented Policing Services grants used by
many Central Valley cities.

"This budget reflects the misplaced priorities of the Bush
administration," Feinstein said. "It once again squeezes many of the
programs that matter most to Americans."

Lawmakers this year also must decide how much money will be devoted
to the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, such as the
Fresno-based program targeting the valley methamphetamine trade.

"We always have a meth objective in the beginning of the year," said
Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia. "The biggest one will be increasing
funding for the HIDTA."

Mariposa Republican George Radanovich agreed that "we're focused on
making sure the HIDTAs are funded." With 28 such regional
organizations nationwide -- covering 43 percent of all U.S. counties
- -- Radanovich added that competition for funding has increased.

Politically, a spreading problem is a mixed blessing.

The Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine grew to
144 members in the recently expired 109th Congress. That translates
to broader clout. It also means, though, that other states have a
growing claim on the federal anti-meth investment.

For instance, Feinstein's co-sponsor on the 2006 meth bill was from
Missouri. The same lawmaker, Republican Sen. James Talent, helped
usher through a congressional resolution resulting in National
Methamphetamine Awareness Day, which was recognized Nov. 30.

The symbolism of a special day set aside for meth awareness is
matched by the unrelenting marketing that goes into the naming of
bills. In the 109th Congress, for instance, lawmakers sponsored the
likes of the Clean, Learn, Education, Abolish, Neutralize and
Undermine Production (CLEAN-UP) of Methamphetamines Act, the Arrest
Methamphetamine Act and the Exile Meth Act.

These bills included some overlapping proposals, such as new state
grants, that ultimately were included in the bill passed by Congress
and signed by Bush.