[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 69 (Monday, May 23, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1065]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          BYRNE GRANT FUNDING

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                            HON. GREG WALDEN

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 23, 2005

  Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleagues 
from Nebraska and around the country on a most important matter--Byrne 
Grant funding. I appreciate the leadership of Mr. Terry and Chairman 
Souder on this issue as well as the work done by my fellow members of 
the House Meth Caucus to ensure that the needs of state and local 
communities are being met.
  Byrne grants provide necessary federal resources that make possible 
enforcement and treatment programs undertaken by state and local 
governments to combat the illegal drug epidemic that is rampant 
throughout the nation, a plague that I've seen firsthand in communities 
throughout eastern, central and southern Oregon. Nowhere is the need 
for federal anti-drug resources more pronounced than in rural areas 
like Oregon's Second Congressional District, where entire communities 
struggle to cope with the proliferation of illegal substances and their 
devastating effects on families and communities.
  According to an assessment conducted earlier this year by the Oregon 
HIDTA office, reducing funding for these programs would reduce 
interagency cooperation and intelligence sharing between local, state 
and federal law enforcement agencies. The assessment also found that 
operations by local taskforces on the front lines in the fight against 
illegal drugs would decrease by 25 to 75 percent. Without the federal 
funds received many local drug taskforces in Oregon would have to 
severely curtail operations, reduce staffing levels or even cease 
operations completely. Given the threat posed to children, families and 
communities by illegal drugs, these efforts to control the drug problem 
must continue.
  I want to again state my belief that Byrne Grant funding should be 
maintained at its current level as the House Appropriations Committee 
prepares to allocate funds to this and other critical anti-drug 
programs in the coming year.
  The state of Oregon has historically received over $6 million in 
Byrne grants, a significant portion of which has been allocated to 
programs and projects in the Second District. Local task forces like 
the Klamath Interagency Narcotics Team, the Mid-Columbia Interagency 
Narcotics Task Force, the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement team, the 
Jackson County Narcotics Enforcement Team, and the Blue Mountain 
Narcotics Enforcement Team, which receives about one-third of its 
budget from Byrne Grants, would be devastated without continued support 
from federal anti-drug programs.
  Mr. Speaker, earlier this year I conducted a series of seven town 
hall forums focused on production, distribution and abuse of illegal 
drugs, particularly the runaway problem of methamphetamine. While 
traveling throughout the Second District I heard again and again about 
the importance of federal resources to the outstanding efforts being 
conducted by state and local enforcement agencies and treatment and 
prevention providers. While I realize that we are in a time of strict 
budget constraint I strongly support these efforts and I will continue 
to do all I can to ensure that the federal government honors its 
commitment to fight the scourge of illegal drugs in our communities.

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