[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 147 (Tuesday, November 8, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S12520]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                          THE COMBAT METH ACT

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, methamphetamine abuse has increased 
exponentially in recent years, expanding geographically to reach all 
corners of the United States. In recent years, the problem has made its 
way to Vermont. I am concerned about escalating methamphetamine abuse 
and have worked with other interested Senators to find ways to combat 
this growing problem.
  With Senator Feinstein taking the lead, on July 28, 2005, the Senate 
Judiciary Committee unanimously reported out the Combat Meth Act, S. 
103, with a committee amendment. I worked with Senator Feinstein and 
the other members of the committee to reach this result.
  In September, I worked with Chairman Shelby and Senator Mikulski to 
take the unusual action of including the Combat Meth Act as an 
amendment to the Commerce Justice Science appropriations bill. I did 
this to accommodate Senator Feinstein's request and to try to make 
progress on this measure. By that action the Senate approved the Combat 
Meth Act, S. 103, as reported by the Judiciary Committee, as an 
amendment and then in passage of the bill. House conferees would not 
agree to the Senate bill. Without agreement on such an authorization, 
it was not retained in the appropriations conference report.
  Last Thursday, I honored the request of Senator Feinstein and worked 
to clear the Combat Meth Act, S. 103, as reported by the Judiciary 
Committee, for passage by the Senate as a freestanding bill. It is 
clear on the Democratic side. It has been clear for days. All Senate 
Democrats are ready to pass that measure. It is being prevented from 
passage by an anonymous objection from the Republican side of the 
aisle.
  The Senate's bipartisan bill focuses directly on providing law 
enforcement and prosecutors the tools they told us they needed. These 
include putting precursor chemicals behind the pharmacy counters, 
monitoring and regulating the quantities that can be bought in a 30-day 
period, and making it harder to smuggle such ingredients into the 
United States. The Senate bill focuses on prevention, regulation, 
monitoring, and treatment. Our bill would make it harder for people to 
enter the nightmarish world of methamphetamine use and abuse, harder 
for other countries and companies to profit from methamphetamine 
misery, and easier for law enforcement to combat this problem on the 
ground.
  I know that Senator Feinstein has been working tirelessly for years 
to do something about this important issue. She has been tenacious and 
dedicated, and I respect her leadership in this area. She and Senator 
Talent know that I have tried to accommodate them and to facilitate 
passage of this legislation.

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