Thomas Mott Osborne: “last year, the President's budget zeroed out the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant program, and this was devastating to the…”

“last year, the President's budget zeroed out the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant program, and this was devastating to the drug task forces around the country. Byrne funds are the primary source of funds for drug task forces and are critical in combating methamphetamine abuse. Congress restored $410 million of Byrne funds, but this is way short of the $1.1 billion of authorized spending that was allowed. The State of Texas was forced to eliminate drug task forces, and other States are now considering doing so. The President's 2007 budget proposal again eliminates Byrne funds. Unless Congress restores these funds at an adequate level, we will lose the drug task forces in nearly all of our States. This is our most effective means of combating methamphetamine abuse. For every $1 that we spend on education and prevention, we get $9 at the back end and save costs on imprisonment, crime and all the things that are attendant to methamphetamine abuse. Meth is sweeping across the country, and we certainly urge the Congress to restore these funds as rapidly as we can. ____________________”