FUNDING SOUGHT TO COMBAT METH ABUSE

House Republican John T. Doolittle (R-Roseville) today urged both the
House and Senate to include $900 million in the Department of Justice
Fiscal Year 2006 appropriations bill for task forces critical to
combating methamphetamine abuse, according to a press release from
Doolittle's office dated Sept. 26, 2005.

The Senate has already recommended $900 million for the Edward Byrne
Justice Assistance Memorial Grant program (Byrne-JAG) which trains
task forces in fighting meth abuse. However, the House only included
$366 million for this program in its bill. Doolittle and his
colleagues are urging both the House and Senate Appropriations
Subcommittee Chairmen on Justice, Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) and Sen.
Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) to provide the full $900 million for
Byrne-JAG in the final FY06 Department of Justice spending bill, the
press release continues and adds that in 2003 and 2004, Butte County
alone had 90 meth related incidents,

"For too long now, we have watched as the harmful effects of
methamphetamine have turned our communities upside down," Doolittle
said. "This funding not only provides our police forces with
necessary support in the fight against meth, but is critical to
curbing a culture of drug abuse."

"We must be diligent in preventing the serious and violent threat
addicts pose to our society," he added.

Today, about 12.3 million Americans over the age of 12 have
reportedly tried this highly-addictive drug, the press release reports.

"Over 95 percent of all drug arrests nationwide are made by state and
local police officers, but most police departments have less than 50
officers and are working with limited resources. Law enforcement
officers are on the front lines in the fight against meth and they
deserve our strongest possible support," Doolittle concluded.

Doolittle is a member of the Congressional Caucus to Fight and
Control Methamphetamine, the press release ends.