Obama Legislation to Increase Funding to Fight Meth Abuse by Nearly $300 Million Passes Senate
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Printable FormatFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington Contact: Robert Gibbs or Tommy Vietor, (202) 228-5511
Illinois Contact: Julian Green, (312) 886-3506
Date: September 15, 2005
Obama Legislation to Increase Funding to Fight Meth Abuse by Nearly $300 Million Passes Senate
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today applauded the Senate's passage of an amendment he introduced along with Senators Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and Mark Dayton (D-MN) that would greatly increase funding to fight meth abuse. The amendment was included as part of the 2006 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill, which passed the full Senate today by a vote of 91 to 4.
"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. It's crucial that we continue to increase funding for this vital program, not cut it."
The President has proposed eliminating Byrne grant funding for FY 2006. The Obama, Chambliss, Dayton amendment to the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill would increase Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant funding from $625.5 million to $900 million over the next fiscal year. Byrne grants provide funding to state and local law enforcement to help make communities safer and improve criminal justice
"This extra funding will ensure that meth taskforces across Illinois have the manpower and infrastructure they need to keep this drug off our streets and out of our schools," said Obama.
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 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.