[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 153 (Thursday, November 17, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13173-S13174]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DeWINE:
  S. 2046. A bill to establish a National Methamphetamine Information 
Clearinghouse to promote sharing information regarding successful law 
enforcement, treatment, environmental, social services, and other 
programs related to the production, use, or effects of methamphetamine 
and grants available for such programs, and for the other purposes; to 
the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, today I am introducing a bill that would 
create a National Methamphetamine Information Clearinghouse (NMIC). 
This web-based source of information would promote sharing of ``best 
practices'' regarding law enforcement, treatment, environmental, social 
services, and other programs to combat the production, use, and effects 
of methamphetamine.
  The purpose of the NMIC is to make a one-stop shop, where all the 
``best practices'' in the fight against meth can be found--information 
from law enforcement, treatment-based organizations, social services 
and environmental agencies. It will be a website providing information 
that agencies and organizations submit, describing what has worked in 
their local communities. The people who have had success with 
addressing meth and meth-related issues will be providing this 
information. Additionally, there will be information and links 
regarding available grants for establishing and maintaining anti-meth 
programs.
  The NMIC will serve two distinct populations--law enforcement and the 
broader community. The NMIC will contain a restricted access section 
where law enforcement will be able to post their successful strategies, 
training techniques, and conference notes so that other law enforcement 
will be able to get ideas and incorporate them in their own 
jurisdictions. The unrestricted portion of the website will include 
resources for other agencies and the public at large. For example, 
child protection agencies might post techniques on dealing with meth 
orphans, community health centers might post treatment options that 
provided them with some success, and environmental groups might post 
tips on cleaning up the toxic waste.
  So, a landlord or hotel owner whose property was used as a meth lab 
and who wants to be able to rent out the property again, or the mother 
who wants to figure out if her child is a meth addict--and what to do 
if she is they would all be able to find useful information on the 
site.
  One of our challenges in the fight against meth is finding those who 
need assistance and connecting them with those who can help--and that 
is exactly what this clearinghouse can do. Many people and 
organizations that have had some success in controlling meth are more 
than willing to share the techniques they found that work, if only they 
knew who needed the information. And, there are those who are just 
starting to attack the meth problem in their communities and need 
guidance as to how to make that start an effective one. The NMIC can 
help bring those groups of people together and enhance everyone's 
ability to fight the plague of meth.
  NMIC will be housed under the auspices of the Department of Justice 
and

[[Page S13174]]

will be governed by an Advisory Council comprised of 10 members from a 
variety of agencies and organizations. It is this Council who will 
monitor the submissions to the Clearinghouse and make sure that the 
information found on the site is accurate, up-to-date, and useful.
  The bill I am introducing today provides the basic outline of this 
idea, and over the next two months, I will be working closely with law 
enforcement and community groups to modify and improve the 
Clearinghouse before we move forward with this legislation next year. I 
look forward to that process and encourage all of my colleagues to join 
me in this effort to combat the meth problem.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2046

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``National Methamphetamine 
     Information Clearinghouse Act of 2005''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act--
       (1) the term ``Council'' means the National Methamphetamine 
     Advisory Council established under section 3(b)(1);
       (2) the term ``drug endangered children'' means children 
     whose physical, mental, or emotional health are at risk 
     because of the production, use, or effects of methamphetamine 
     by another person;
       (3) the term ``National Methamphetamine Information 
     Clearinghouse'' or ``NMIC'' means the information 
     clearinghouse established under section 3(a); and
       (4) the term ``qualified entity'' means a State or local 
     government, school board, or public health, law enforcement, 
     nonprofit, or other nongovernmental organization providing 
     services related to methamphetamines.

     SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF CLEARINGHOUSE AND ADVISORY COUNCIL.

       (a) Clearinghouse.--There is established, under the 
     supervision of the Attorney General of the United States, an 
     information clearinghouse to be know as the National 
     Methamphetamine Information Clearinghouse.
       (b) Advisory Council.--
       (1) In general.--There is established an advisory council 
     to be known as the National Methamphetamine Advisory Council.
       (2) Membership.--The Council shall consist of 10 members 
     appointed by the Attorney General--
       (A) not fewer than 3 of whom shall be representatives of 
     law enforcement agencies;
       (B) not fewer than 4 of whom shall be representatives of 
     nongovernmental and nonprofit organizations providing 
     services related to methamphetamines; and
       (C) 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Department 
     of Health and Human Services.
       (3) Period of appointment; vacancies.--Members shall be 
     appointed for 3 years. Any vacancy in the Council shall not 
     affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same manner as 
     the original appointment.

     SEC. 4. NMIC REQUIREMENTS AND REVIEW.

       (a) In General.--The NMIC shall promote sharing information 
     regarding successful law enforcement, treatment, 
     environmental, social services, and other programs related to 
     the production, use, or effects of methamphetamine and grants 
     available for such programs.
       (b) Components.--The NMIC shall include--
       (1) a toll-free number; and
       (2) a website that--
       (A) provides information on the short-term and long-term 
     effects of methamphetamine use;
       (B) provides information regarding methamphetamine 
     treatment programs and programs for drug endangered children, 
     including descriptions of successful programs and contact 
     information for such programs;
       (C) provides information regarding grants for 
     methamphetamine-related programs, including contact 
     information and links to websites;
       (D) allows a qualified entity to submit items to be posted 
     on the website regarding successful public or private 
     programs or other useful information related the production, 
     use, or effects of methamphetamine;
       (E) includes a restricted section that may only be accessed 
     by a law enforcement organization that contain successful 
     strategies, training techniques, and other information that 
     the Council determines helpful to law enforcement agency 
     efforts to combat the production, use or effects of 
     methamphetamine;
       (F) allows public access to all information not in a 
     restricted section; and
       (G) contains any additional information the Council 
     determines may be useful in combating the production, use, or 
     effects of methamphetamine.
       (c) Review of Posted Information.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
     submission of an item by a qualified entity, the Council 
     shall review an item submitted for posting on the website 
     described in subsection (b)(2)--
       (A) to evaluate and determine whether the item, as 
     submitted or as modified, meets the requirements for posting; 
     and
       (B) in consultation with the Attorney General, to determine 
     whether the item should be posted in a restricted section of 
     the website.
       (2) Determination.--Not later than 45 days after the date 
     of submission of an item, the Council shall--
       (A) post the item on the website described in subsection 
     (b)(2); or
       (B) notify the qualified entity that submitted the item 
     regarding the reason such item shall not be posted and 
     modifications, if any, that the qualified entity may make to 
     allow the item to be posted.

     SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated--
       (1) for fiscal year 2006--
       (A) $1,000,000 to establish the NMIC and Council; and
       (B) such sums as are necessary for the operation of the 
     NMIC and Council; and
       (2) for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2010, such sums 
     as are necessary for the operation of the NMIC and Council.
                                 ______