Illegal Drugs Issue

Senator Domenici works diligently to decrease the flow of illegal drugs into this country and supports efforts to increase federal funding for drug prevention, counseling and law enforcement.

History

Senator Domenici has held Senate Committee hearings in Las Cruces, New Mexico about illicit drug activity in the Southwest. Domenici has hosted multiple Attorneys General in the state to examine Department of Justice activities in New Mexico, including its drug interdiction efforts.

Domenici organized an official Commerce, Justice, State field hearing in Española of federal, state and community officials, educators, prevention and treatment providers, law enforcement, local clergy and concerned citizens to review action plans to tackle northern New Mexico's devastating drug problem. Rio Arriba County in recent years has suffered from the worst per-capita drug overdose death rate in the nation. At Domenici's request, the Senate Commerce, Justice and State (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee held a field hearing in Española on March 30, 1999 to examine the issue, resulting in the Justice Department's sending a technical assistance team to Rio Arriba County to facilitate a community action plan, and to establish a Weed and Seed program for the region, as well as more after school programs to fight youth drug addiction. Starting with $750,000 in Fiscal Year 2000, Senator Domenici has consistently secured funding for an after-school program targeted to Rio Arriba County, modeled after the New Mexico Cooperative Extension Service's after-school program.

In a 2002 hearing of the CJS Appropriations Subcommittee, Domenici asked Attorney General John Ashcroft for an assessment of the joint federal, state and local law enforcement operations to combat methamphetamine trafficking in New Mexico. In response, the Justice Department reported that the DEA offices in Albuquerque and Las Cruces had helped seize and destroy 85 clandestine methamphetamine labs throughout the state since Oct. 1, 2001; beyond the home-based labs, it was found that New Mexico is also consistently affected by the transport of Mexican cartel-produced methamphetamine contraband through the state. In the FY 2003 CJS Appropriations Bill, as he has in previous years, Senator Domenici secured report language directing the Federal Bureau of Investigation and DEA to dedicate adequate resources and staff to northern New Mexico to combat methamphetamine, black tar heroin and other drugs.

Weed and Seed Programs

Since the Weed and Seed's program introduction to Rio Arriba County, Domenici has continuously supported the development of new programs across New Mexico. Specifically, Weed and Seed is a multi-agency strategy that "weeds" out violent crime, gang activity, drug use, and drug trafficking in high-crime neighborhoods and then "seeds" the target area by restoring these neighborhoods through social and economic revitalization. This project emphasizes agency cooperation and community involvement, and has fostered many successful programs over the years. The combination of mentorship, education, and participation in after-school activities has helped deter youth from exposure and drug use.

Since its inception, Domenici has had the opportunity to announce grant money issued to local New Mexico communities who participate in the Weed and Seed programs. In July of 2004, Domenici announced Las Cruces' fourth year as a recipient of Weed and Seed money totaling $73,484 grant funding. Already in 2005, Domenici praised the award of $225,000 in funding for the Albuquerque Eastside and $175,000 in funding for Española Weed and Seed Programs. Senator Domenici looks forward to seeing the continued benefits of this funding for these areas.

High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area

Senator Domenici has also consistently supported the anti-drug efforts of programs in New Mexico such as the HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) program. In 1988, Congress established the HIDTA Program, operated through the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). New Mexico and the three other southwest border states belong to the Southwest Border HIDTA. In 1999, Senator Domenici won approval for an amendment to designate Rio Arriba, Santa Fe and San Juan counties as part of the Southwest Border HIDTA, and made $750,000 available to jump start the program in these three counties, which he has supported with subsequent funding. Since 1999, there are 13 New Mexico counties that make up the state's participation in the Southwest Border HIDTA, including Bernalillo, Chaves, Doña Ana, Eddy, Grant, Hidalgo, Lea, Lincoln, Luna, and Otero counties.

Current Legislation

On February 1, 2005, Senator Domenici cosponsored S. 103, the "Combat Meth Act of 2005." This legislation combats the production and distribution of methamphetamine, a highly destructive illegal drug. The bill would set perimeters on the sale of pseudoephedrine-commonly found in most over-the-counter cold and sinus medicines, and create new law enforcement tools to apprehend and prosecute methamphetamine producers. Limiting the availability of access to pseudoephedrine, which is needed to produce methamphetamine, will allow us to fight a problem that reaches into all communities whether they are high-income urban neighborhoods, rural towns or an Indian reservation. Also, this legislation authorizes new means for the federal government to cooperate with state and local law enforcement agencies to control this increasing problem.

Senator Domenici has also consistently supported the anti-drug efforts of programs in New Mexico such as the HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) program and Weed and Seed. In 1988, Congress established the HIDTA Program, operated through the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). New Mexico and the three other southwest border states belong to the Southwest Border HIDTA. In 1999, Senator Domenici won approval for an amendment to designate Rio Arriba, Santa Fe and San Juan counties as part of the Southwest Border HIDTA, and make $750,000 available to jump start the program in these three counties, which he has supported with subsequent funding. With regard to Weed and Seed, Domenici supported the creation of this Department of Justice program by President George H.W. Bush, and has consistently supported resources for this federal program to help communities retake troubled neighborhoods from drug dealers and gangs through rigorous law enforcement and revitalization projects since its creation. Domenici joined Attorney General John Ashcroft in Albuquerque in August 2001 for the award of $225,000 to the city's Weed and Seed project. With that grant award, the Albuquerque Weed and Seed program had received a total of $825,000 in federal support since 1998. Weed and Seed projects also exist in Las Cruces and the Pueblo of Laguna.

For more information on the Justice Department and Drug Enforcement Agency, please visit:
www.doj.gov/dea

For more information on Senator Domenici's views and activities on illegal drugs, visit our online News Center.

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