HR0998 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0998 LRB094 19843 RLC 56967 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The illegal manufacture and use of methamphetamine is a severe problem in this State, especially in downstate Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois General Assembly has enacted numerous pieces of legislation that impose stronger penalties for the manufacture or possession of methamphetamine and that make it more difficult to obtain ingredients for the illegal manufacture of methamphetamine, such as the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act and the Methamphetamine Precursor Control Act; and

WHEREAS, The proposed federal budget for 2007 could result in the reduction of $13,000,000 available to our State for methamphetamine law enforcement; and

WHEREAS, The major reductions would be to the COPS program and to the Byrne Justice Assistance grants that give money to local police departments to pay for more officers and help provide equipment such as police radios and computer systems; and

WHEREAS, In 2004, Byrne grants helped Illinois police make 1,267 methamphetamine-related arrests and seize 348,923 grams of methamphetamine; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the federal government to reinstate the funding for methamphetamine enforcement, including the COPS program and the Byrne Justice Assistance grants; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this Resolution be forwarded to the President of the United States, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the President pro tempore of the United States Senate, and to each member of the Illinois Congressional delegation.