WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam H. Putnam (R-FL 12), Chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee, called passage of the USA PATRIOT Act "a major step in protecting American citizens against terrorism."

The House successfully passed S. 2271, the USA PATRIOT Act Additional Reauthorizing Amendments Act of 2006, by a bipartisan vote of 280-131 on March 7, 2006. The Senate has already passed an identical version, and the bill now goes to the President for signature.

"Through the successful passage of this legislation, House Republicans have once again demonstrated our resolve of making our national security our top priority" Putnam stated. "This reauthorization not only provides additional protections to strengthen the PATRIOT Act, but continues to provide our law enforcement personnel with the resources necessary to keep our country safe from terrorist threats. I look forward to the President signing this important legislation, as it continues to protect American families and communities."

The Methamphetamine Epidemic Elimination Act, included in S. 2271, will reduce the supply of methamphetamines and punish producers, traffickers, and smugglers. "The abuse of Methamphetamine is a growing problem across our country and continues to pose a serious threat to our children, as more and more of our nation's youth encounter this deadly drug. The Elimination Act provides critical measures that not only make it more difficult to obtain the necessary ingredients to produce methamphetamines, but tighten the criminal penalties for those who traffic in this dangerous drug," Putnam concluded.

The USA PATRIOT Act Additional Reauthorizing Amendments Act extends key provisions of the PATRIOT Act, which:

• Removed major legal barriers which prevented the law enforcement, intelligence, and national defense communities from coordinating their work;

• Allowed law enforcement to conduct surveillance of more terror-related activities and allowed the authorization of nationwide search warrants;

• Updated the law to reflect new technologies and new threats; and

• Increased penalties for those who commit act of terrorism and those who harbor terrorists.

The Methamphetamine Epidemic Elimination Act included in S. 2271 will:

• Restrict the sale of precursor drugs (common, over-the-counter medicines used in the production of methamphetamines);

• Require exporters and importers to report on their traffic of precursor drugs to prevent diversion of these drugs to meth production; and

• Toughen federal penalties for methamphetamine traffickers and smugglers as well as those who produce or deal meth in the presence of children.

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