[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 17, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E131]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  INTRODUCTION OF THE NATIVE AMERICAN METHAMPHETAMINE ENFORCEMENT AND 
                         TREATMENT ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. TOM UDALL

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 17, 2007

  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the 
Native American Methamphetamine Enforcement and Treatment Act of 2007.
  Last year, Congress passed the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 
2005 as part of the reauthorization of the USA PATRIOT Act. Included in 
the bill were provisions that authorized funding for three important 
grant programs--the COPS Hot Spots Program, the Drug-Endangered 
Children Program, and the Pregnant and Parenting Women Offenders 
Program.
  The Hot Spots Program specifically provides funding for a broad range 
of initiatives designed to assist State and local law enforcement in 
undertaking antimethamphetamine initiatives. The Drug-Endangered 
Children Grant Program provides comprehensive services to assist 
children who live in a home where meth has been used, manufactured, and 
sold. The Pregnant and Parenting Women Offenders Grant Program is 
designed to facilitate cooperation between the criminal justice, child 
welfare, and substance abuse systems in order to reduce the use of 
drugs by pregnant women and those with dependant children.
  Unfortunately, tribal governments were unintentionally left out as 
possible applicants for the Hot Spots and Drug-Endangered Children 
Programs. The legislation I am introducing today seeks to rectify this 
by ensuring that, consistent with tribal sovereignty, tribes can apply 
for these grants, just as States can. Additionally, while tribes were 
included as eligible applicants for the Pregnant and Parenting Women 
Offenders Grant Program, clarifying language is needed to ensure there 
is ample coordination with tribal service providers. This legislation 
works to achieve this coordination.
  In 2005, the Drug Enforcement Administration and State and local law 
enforcement officials counted 12,484 Clandestine Laboratory Incidents 
in 48 States. In New Mexico alone, the State Department of Public 
Safety Narcotics Section handled over 400 cases involving meth in 2004. 
While this is disturbing enough, the situation can be worse in Native 
American communities. In studies of ``past year methamphetamine use,'' 
Native communities have the highest use rates--more than double the use 
rate of other ethnicities. Additionally, when the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs surveyed tribes about law enforcement, more than 70 percent 
said that meth is the drug that poses the greatest threat to their 
reservation. It is evident that more needs to be done to stop the 
manufacturing and use of meth.
  As a co-vice chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus and a 
member of the Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control 
Methamphetamine, I am uniquely aware of the substantial obstacles our 
criminal justice, child welfare, and substance abuse systems face in 
the fight against meth. As such, I am pleased to introduce this 
legislation today and wish to thank original cosponsor Representative 
Dale Kildee for his support. Mr. Kildee has worked diligently on this 
matter and continues to be a strong advocate for all Native American 
issues. I urge my colleagues to join us in helping to give Native 
American communities the resources they need to combat this epidemic, 
by cosponsoring this bill.

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