[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 104 (Tuesday, July 24, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1417]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


DEPARTMENTS OF COMMERCE, JUSTICE AND STATE, THE JUDICIARY, AND RELATED 
                   AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2002

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                               speech of

                            HON. BRIAN BAIRD

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 17, 2001

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2500) making 
     appropriations for the Departments of Commerce, Justice and 
     State, the Judiciary, and related agencies for the fiscal 
     year ending September 30, 2002, and for other purposes:

  Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank my colleague Frank Lucas for 
joining me in offering this important amendment.
  The Methamphetamine/Drug Hot Spots Program provides funding for 
states to pay for the costs associated with fighting meth. This 
includes identifying and dismantling meth labs and training law 
enforcement to respond to labs.
  Last year, Clark County in my district received funding from this 
program to hire an additional meth detective for our local drug task 
force.
  As one of the founders of the Meth caucus, I am pleased to offer an 
amendment to increase the funding for this important program. Forty-two 
members of our caucus asked appropriators to increase funding for the 
Meth/Drug Hot Spots from $48.5 million (FYO1) to $60 million. The bill 
before us today funds this program at $48.3, $11.7 less than requested 
by our bipartisan caucus.
  Our amendment would increase the funding for this program to $60 
million. We are proposing to accomplish this by reducing the increase 
given to the International Broadcasting Operations by $11.7 million, 
which received a $32 million increase in this bill. Our amendment would 
still provide for more than a 5% increase for International 
Broadcasting Operations. This is still more than President Bush's 
request for no more than a 4% increase in the growth of federal 
spending.
  I want to make clear that this amendment is in no way meant to take 
away from the important role that International Broadcasting Operations 
has in spreading the American ideals of freedom and democracy 
throughout the globe. The amendment is designed to help our law 
enforcement officials stop the scourge of methamphetamine abuse here at 
home.
  I thank my colleague from Oklahoma for joining me in offering this 
amendment and I ask for your support.

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