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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Amy Auth
202-225-2071

Today United States Rep. Virginia Foxx praised several measures to combat methamphetamine that were included in the USA PATRIOT Act. President Bush is expected to sign the legislation into law today.

Rep. Foxx joined Majority Whip Roy Blunt and House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner at a news conference this morning. She made the following remarks:

“Methamphetamine abuse is a growing problem across our country. In my home county in Northwest North Carolina, we generally have a very low crime rate. However, in recent years, we have had several methamphetamine-related homicides and robberies. This drug is wreaking havoc in our local neighborhoods and isendangering the lives of many, including ourinnocent children and ourbrave law enforcement officials. The challenge meth poses is strong, serious and immediate and so too must be our response. My colleagues and I are meeting that challenge, and with the President’s signature today, we are keeping our constituents and law enforcement officials safer.

“The meth provisions in the PATRIOT Act will make it more difficult to obtain the ingredients necessary to manufacture the drug. This bill will also crack down on meth cooks, traffickers and smugglers by strengthening federal criminal penalties.

“I have seen the ravages of meth first hand. Currently, there is a volunteer firefighter named Darien South from my district who is in the hospital struggling for his life. He responded to a house fire without realizing that it was a meth lab that exploded. He was just doing his job, but now he is going to suffer for the rest of his life. The people who are responsible the meth lab will only spend two years in prison. We must protect our children and law enforcement officials. I am proud of House Republicans for taking the steps necessary to do so.”

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