Washington D.C. Office
713 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-2854
(202) 228-4260 fax
(202 228-1404 TDD
Email our office

Chicago Office
John C. Kluczynski Federal Office Building
230 South Dearborn St.
Suite 3900 (39th floor)
Chicago, Illinois 60604
(312) 886-3506
(312) 886-3514 fax
Toll free: (866) 445-2520
(for IL residents only)

Springfield Office
607 East Adams Street
Springfield, Illinois 62701
(217) 492-5089
(217) 492-5099 fax

Marion Office
701 North Court Street
Marion, Illinois 62959
(618) 997-2402
(618) 997-2850 fax

Moline Office
1911 52nd Avenue
Moline, Illinois 61265
(309)736-1217
(309)736-1233 fax

Obama Joins Effort to Save Meth Taskforce Funding

Thursday, September 8, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington Contact: Robert Gibbs or Tommy Vietor, (202) 228-5511
Illinois Contact: Julian Green, (312) 886-3506
Date: September 8, 2005

Obama Joins Effort to Save Meth Taskforce Funding

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today joined a bipartisan group of Senators in introducing legislation to save the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program, which has proven vital in combating meth use in Illinois. Byrne grants provide funding to state and local law enforcement to help make communities safer and improve criminal justice.

"Meth is taking over communities in Illinois, depleting already limited resources, taxing the police, the judicial system, social services, and our schools," said Obama. "Money provided by Byrne grants has been crucial in helping communities across Illinois join forces to combat this drug. In 2004 alone, Byrne grants helped Illinois cops make 1,267 meth-related arrests and seize 348,923 grams of meth. We must increase funding for this vital program, not cut it."

The President has proposed eliminating Byrne grant funding for FY 2006. Obama, along with Senators Mark Dayton (D-MN) and Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), included an amendment to the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill that would increase the program's funding from $625.5 million to $900 million over the next fiscal year.

"These funding cuts will be particularly devastating to communities in Southern Illinois where Byrne grants pay for a large percentage of crucial staff and infrastructure," said Obama. "I hope that today the Senate will do the right thing and make sure our law enforcement officials have the resources that they need to keep us safe."

There are seven meth taskforce zones in Illinois. In 2004, the Southern Illinois Enforcement Group (SIEG) that polices the zone covering 31 of the southernmost Illinois counties accounted for 27.7 percent of the state's reported meth lab seizures. SIEG pays for 5 of its 12 agents through Byrne grants.

Methamphetamine use is an epidemic across the United States. A recent survey by the National Association of Counties found that 58 percent of law enforcement officials surveyed identified meth use as their greatest drug challenge. Eighty-seven percent of the counties found an increase in the number of meth-related arrests in the past three years. Seventy percent of the counties said meth use had caused an increase in robberies and burglaries, fifty-three percent reported an increase in assault cases and sixty-two percent reported an increase in domestic violence.