Pubdate: Tue, 31 Oct 2000
Source: Fresno Bee, The (CA)
Copyright: 2000 The Fresno Bee
Contact:  http://www.fresnobee.com/man/opinion/letters.html
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Forum: http://www.fresnobee.com/man/projects/webforums/opinion.html
Author: Ronald E. Brooks
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1511/a03.html

CONTINUING EFFORT

As a career law enforcement officer, who has served as a past president of 
the California Narcotic Officers' Association and current chairman of the 
National Narcotics Officers' Associations Coalition, I applaud your 
well-researched and timely report regarding methamphetamine and the 
devastation it is causing.

I am, however, shocked at your question: "Where are the champions in 
Washington." Since 1995, Sen. Dianne Feinstein has been this state's 
champion on a variety of drug issues, primarily policies relating to 
methamphetamine. Sen. Feinstein has made the methamphetamine problem her 
legislative priority. She convened the Western States Methamphetamine 
Conference in San Francisco, and worked to designate the Central Valley as 
a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. She authored the Precursor Control 
Act, and has been one of the forces responsible for an $18.2 million grant 
to funds the California Methamphetamine Strategy, used by state Attorney 
General Bill Lockyer's Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement to augment his 
already robust enforcement.

We have also worked closely this year with Reps. Gary Condit and Doug Ose, 
who have led a bipartisan effort to continue the $18.2 million allocation 
to the California Meth Strategy for fiscal year 2001. This will assure that 
our efforts remain vigorous and continuous. Reps. Ose and Condit have been 
assisted by Reps. James Rogan, Cal Dooley, Robert Matsui, Richard Pombo, 
George Radanovich, Walley Herger and William Thomas.

Ronald E. Brooks, Santa Clarita
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D