Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Brian Baird secured $3 million in funding for the Washington State Meth Initiative and worked to retain level funding for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program in the Omnibus Appropriations bill that passed the House yesterday.  Both of these programs are critical in the fight against methamphetamine in Southwest Washington.

The Washington State Meth Initiative provides funding for statewide cleanup, treatment and prevention programs, training and other law enforcement efforts to combat methamphetamine in Washington state.  Key aspects of the initiative include the “Meth Moms” program, designed to assist women addicted to meth to overcome the addiction as well as reunite them with their dependent children.  Funds from the Washington State Meth Initiative will also go to the WA State Department of Ecology for the cleanup of hazardous materials used in the production of methamphetamine. 

“Meth is a menace to our society,” said Rep. Baird “This funding is crucial to Washington state’s ability to fight the scourge of methamphetamine in our communities.  The programs funded by the WA State Meth Initiative help educate, train and treat those directly affected by meth and we must continue to fund these programs if we are to rid our region of this terrible plague.”

HIDTA, a program within the Office of National Drug Control Policy, is a critical element in the fight against methamphetamine and other illicit drugs. The HIDTA program will be funded at $226.4 million for 2003, which was $20 million above the President’s original request.  HIDTA funds are used to help local law enforcement agencies obtain information on drug dealers, analyze seized materials, and train officers. The money can also be used to fund drug courts, drug prevention education, and treatment initiatives.  This year, at the request of Rep. Baird, the Northwest HIDTA expanded into Southwest Washington to include Lewis, Cowlitz and Clark counties.

“HIDTA funding provides essential resources to local law enforcement officials,”said Rep. Baird.  “Through our inclusion in the HIDTA program, our region directly benefits from this funding, and I am proud to have worked to provide Southwest Washington communities with these resources.  The officers on the front lines in the fight against drugs deserve every available resource and I will continue to fight for counter-drug funding for our region.”

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