Senators Schauer, Basham, Scott and Leland offered the following concurrent resolution:

            Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 19.

            A concurrent resolution to urge President Bush and the United States Congress to reverse proposed budget cuts to federal funding for anti-methamphetamine programs.        

            Whereas, The proposed Fiscal Year 2006 drug control budget diminishes most federal support for state and local law enforcement. The proposed budget reduces the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) “Meth Hot Spots” program by more than 60 percent, completely eliminates the Byrne Grants to state and local law enforcement, and cuts the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program by more than 50 percent. This is a drastic and severe overall reduction in federal funding to state and local law enforcement; and

Whereas, Methamphetamine is an insidious drug. It is strongly addictive, destroys health, and causes violent behavior. A large portion of violent crimes, including domestic abuse and child endangerment, is linked to methamphetamine use. Methamphetamine affects the health and well-being of communities and families. It is a grave threat impacting the entire nation; and  

            Whereas, The scourge of methamphetamine is spreading rapidly across the country, ravaging communities from California to New York. Clandestine methamphetamine labs are overwhelming local law enforcement agencies in every Midwest state. Over the past few years the number of methamphetamine labs seized in Michigan has increased almost 900 percent from 6 in 1996 to 209 in 2004, creating a growing workload for law enforcement; and

Whereas, State and local law enforcement personnel are fighting on the front lines in the war against methamphetamine. They make more than 90 percent of all drug-related arrests and seizures. When clandestine labs are discovered, special teams must clean up the toxic waste used to manufacture the drug. Methamphetamine abuse puts severe strains on state and local law enforcement agencies forced to find clandestine drug labs, clean up the environmental damage they create, and arrest the drug traffickers and meth cooks that operate them; and

Whereas, The proposed budget cuts would create massive shortfalls in the already overstrapped and strained budgets of state and local law enforcement agencies in Michigan and across the country. The severity of the economic crisis in Michigan is already affecting the ability of the criminal justice system to respond to methamphetamine abuse. Federal funding is vital to state and local law enforcement agencies' fight against methamphetamine. Cuts in programs could be dangerous to the public; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That we urge President Bush and the United States Congress to reverse proposed budget cuts to federal funding for anti-methamphetamine programs; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Office of the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation