Scott Fitzgerald: “My state has an emerging methamphetamine problem, which is an unmet need of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas…”

“My state has an emerging methamphetamine problem, which is an unmet need of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program. To tackle this problem successfully, Congress should provide funding in fiscal year 2001 to implement the expansion of the Chicago High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area to the Southern and Central Districts of Illinois. Over the last three years, seizures of methamphetamine laboratories in Illinois have increased by 925 percent. In 1999 alone, 246 methamphetamine laboratories were seized in Illinois (more than all previous years combined), and methamphetamine-related crime in the state is at an all-time high, according to the Illinois State Police. If this trend continues, Illinois can expect to see an exponential growth of methamphetamine activities in the next two or three years, similar to what has occurred in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and Iowa. I recognize that the final version of the Treasury and General government Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2001 includes an additional $14,500,000 to expand existing HIDTAs or fund newly designated HIDTAs. I would like to ask the Chairman a question: is it your expectation that a portion of these funds will be used to implement the expansion of the Chicago HIDTA to the Southern and Central Districts of Illinois?”