Mark Gordon: “I am very pleased that the joint explanatory statement of the Committee of Conference designated $360,000 under the COPS…”

“I am very pleased that the joint explanatory statement of the Committee of Conference designated $360,000 under the COPS Methamphetamine Enforcement and Clean-up for the Tennessee Methamphetamine Detection and Remediation Research. Tennessee Technological University will use this funding to develop mobile equipment that can help law enforcement detect and analyze environmental hazards associated with clandestine meth labs. Since 1999, the number of meth labs in Tennessee has increased by more than 500 percent. And, more than 1,300 labs were seized last year in Tennessee alone, the most of any state in the Southeast. We have all read the news stories about illegal homemade labs being set up inside houses, apartments, and even in the trunks of cars. Too often you hear about one of these labs exploding, injuring the meth cooks, as well as children inside the home, or even innocent bystanders. These volatile labs pose a threat to the entire community. Tennessee Tech University will collaborate with the law enforcement community to address this critical problem. Once again, I am very grateful to the conferees for providing this important funding for Tennessee Tech University.”