LAWMAKERS JOIN FORCES IN METH WAR

Congress Caucus Wants Funds, Manpower, Raised Awareness.

WASHINGTON -- California is no longer alone in the fight against
methamphetamine.

Prompted by the wildfire spread of meth, more than five dozen members of
Congress have banded together to seek funding, manpower and a common cause.
They're planning congressional resolutions, establishment of a National
Meth Awareness Day for this year, and a stream of
wake-up-and-smell-the-coffee sessions such as one held Wednesday on Capitol
Hill.

"It's our job to increase the profile of the issue here, so it doesn't
increase its profile in our districts," said Rep. Brian Baird, D-Wash.

Baird is one of 69 House members who signed up for what's formally known as
the Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine -- the meth
caucus, for short. Because of Republican rule changes passed several years
ago, congressional caucuses such as this no longer receive separate House
funding or staffing.

They do, however, focus the attention of lawmakers and staff alike.

On Wednesday, that educational focus included distributing copies of a
special 18-page Bee investigative project published last year, "A Madness
Called Meth."

It also included a sobering slide show that featured a photograph of Dustin
Haaland, a 4-year-old Fresno boy beaten to death by his meth-using father.

"This is the real victim of meth," said Ron Brooks, a San Jose-based
special agent for the Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement.

The briefing Wednesday also drew the four caucus co-chairmen, whose
geographic diversity shows the drug's nationwide spread.

Two of the leaders are Democrats, two are Republicans, and they come from
the states of Washington, Nevada, Iowa and California.

"Unfortunately," said Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Riverside, "one of our
distinctions is that we produce a lot of meth...and we're a net exporter
out of California to the rest of the country."

California is credited with producing about 90% of the nation's meth. Of
6,732 illegal meth labs seized nationwide in 1999, California accounted for
2,063, but the state's so-called super labs were also producing a lot more
of the drug than other labs across the country.

Some of the other states claiming growing meth problems are a surprise.
Iowa, for instance, had 352 illegal meth labs seized in 1999, more than
about 45 other states.

"Why do we have so much meth in southern Iowa?" asked Rep. Leonard Boswell,
D-Iowa. "I ask that question a lot."

Rhetorically, too, the meth issue is heating up.

An Army assault helicopter pilot for two tours in Vietnam, Boswell termed
methamphetamine as "maybe the biggest threat internally to the United
States in our lifetime, and I don't say that lightly."

Soon, Calvert and his allies expect to introduce several meth-related bills
designed to show resolve and build political momentum.

One resolution would honor the law enforcement officials who target meth,
while another would designate the meth awareness day.

These symbolic steps will not substitute, officials say, for adding more
real resources to the fight.

"More money," Brooks said, when asked what he wants from Congress.