PRESS RELEASE

October 25, 1999

CONTACT: Peter DeMarco   202-225-5716                          FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

OSE’S METHAMPHETAMINE PROGRAMS RECEIVE FULL FUNDING

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congressman Doug Ose (R–Sacramento) today announced full funding of law enforcement programs to combat the methaphetamine epidemic in Northern California and the rest of the nation through the passage of the Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations Conference Report, H.R. 2670.

The Conference Report to H.R. 2670 was passed by the House of Representatives on October 20 by a vote of 215 to 213. This legislation provides $35 million for state and local methamphetamine programs, $18 million dollars of which was allocated to the California Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement’s Methamphetamine Strategy.

Last year, local law enforcement officials seized 31 pounds of methamphetamine, and 150 pounds of methamphetamine solution in the Third Congressional District. In order to continue the fight against this growing epidemic, Congressman Ose authored a letter on September 15 to Congressional leaders asking that the full $35 million dollars passed by the House of Representatives be included in the final form of the Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations bill.

"Every resource must be made available to combat the devastating effects of methamphetamine use," Ose said. "With this funding we can partner with state and local officials to fight the rising levels of methamphetamine production and consumption to protect the health and safety of all communities. I am pleased to help ensure that our communities have the resources to fight this epidemic."

The Conference Report to H.R. 2670 appropriates $39 billion in FY 2000 for the departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the federal judiciary and 18 related agencies.

Department of Justice and the Federal Judiciary. $18.5 billion for the Justice Department including $287.1 million for juvenile crime and prevention programs,  $3 billion for state and local enforcement assistance, $3.7 billion for the federal prison system, $3.1 billion for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), $1.3 billion for the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), and $325 million for the community oriented policing services (COPS) program.

Department of Commerce. $8.7 billion for the Commerce Department including $2.3 billion for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), $639 million for the National Institute Standards and Technology (NIST), and $142.6 million for the advanced technology program (ATP).

Department of the State. $6 billion for the State Department and related agencies including $2.8 billion for diplomatic and consular programs, $351 million in arrearage payments to the United Nations (UN), $421.8 million for the Broadcasting Board of Governors, and $8.3 million for the Asia Foundation.

Related Agencies. $2 billion for other federal agencies including $300 million for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), $367.8 million for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and $803.5 million for the Small Business Administration (SBA).