Volume 153, No. 23 covering the 1st Session of the 110th Congress (2007 - 2008) was published by the Congressional Record.
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“METHAMPHETAMINE REMEDIATION RESEARCH ACT OF 2007” mentioning the Environmental Protection Agency was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H1278-H1284 on Feb. 7, 2007.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
METHAMPHETAMINE REMEDIATION RESEARCH ACT OF 2007
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 365) to provide for a research program for remediation of closed methamphetamine production laboratories, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 365
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act of 2007''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Methamphetamine use and production is growing rapidly throughout the United States.
(2) Materials and residues remaining from the production of methamphetamine pose novel environmental problems in locations where methamphetamine laboratories have been closed.
(3) There has been little standardization of measures for determining when the site of a closed methamphetamine laboratory has been successfully remediated.
(4) Initial cleanup actions are generally limited to removal of hazardous substances and contaminated materials that pose an immediate threat to public health or the environment. It is not uncommon for significant levels of contamination to be found throughout residential structures after a methamphetamine laboratory has closed, partially because of a lack of knowledge of how to achieve an effective cleanup.
(5) Data on methamphetamine laboratory-related contaminants of concern are very limited, and cleanup standards do not currently exist. In addition, procedures for sampling and analysis of contaminants need to be researched and developed.
(6) Many States are struggling with establishing remediation guidelines and programs to address the rapidly expanding number of methamphetamine laboratories being closed each year.
SEC. 3. VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES.
(a) Establishment of Voluntary Guidelines.--Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (in this Act referred to as the ``Administrator''), in consultation with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, shall establish voluntary guidelines, based on the best currently available scientific knowledge, for the remediation of former methamphetamine laboratories, including guidelines regarding preliminary site assessment and the remediation of residual contaminants.
(b) Considerations.--In developing the voluntary guidelines under subsection (a), the Administrator shall consider, at a minimum--
(1) relevant standards, guidelines, and requirements found in Federal, State, and local laws and regulations;
(2) the varying types and locations of former methamphetamine laboratories; and
(3) the expected cost of carrying out any proposed guidelines.
(c) States.--The voluntary guidelines should be designed to assist State and local governments in the development and the implementation of legislation and other policies to apply state-of-the-art knowledge and research results to the remediation of former methamphetamine laboratories. The Administrator shall work with State and local governments and other relevant non-Federal agencies and organizations, including through the conference described in section 5, to promote and encourage the appropriate adoption of the voluntary guidelines.
(d) Updating the Guidelines.--The Administrator shall periodically update the voluntary guidelines as the Administrator, in consultation with States and other interested parties, determines to be necessary and appropriate to incorporate research findings and other new knowledge.
SEC. 4. RESEARCH PROGRAM.
The Administrator shall establish a program of research to support the development and revision of the voluntary guidelines described in section 3. Such research shall--
(1) identify methamphetamine laboratory-related chemicals of concern;
(2) assess the types and levels of exposure to chemicals of concern identified under paragraph (1), including routine and accidental exposures, that may present a significant risk of adverse biological effects, and the research necessary to better address biological effects and to minimize adverse human exposures;
(3) evaluate the performance of various methamphetamine laboratory cleanup and remediation techniques; and
(4) support other research priorities identified by the Administrator in consultation with States and other interested parties.
SEC. 5. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CONFERENCE.
(a) Conference.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and at least every third year thereafter, the Administrator shall convene a conference of appropriate State agencies, as well as individuals or organizations involved in research and other activities directly related to the environmental, or biological impacts of former methamphetamine laboratories. The conference should be a forum for the Administrator to provide information on the guidelines developed under section 3 and on the latest findings from the research program described in section 4, and for the non-Federal participants to provide information on the problems and needs of States and localities and their experience with guidelines developed under section 3.
(b) Report.--Not later than 3 months after each conference, the Administrator shall submit a report to the Congress that summarizes the proceedings of the conference, including a summary of any recommendations or concerns raised by the non-Federal participants and how the Administrator intends to respond to them. The report shall also be made widely available to the general public.
SEC. 6. RESIDUAL EFFECTS STUDY.
(a) Study.--Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences for a study of the status and quality of research on the residual effects of methamphetamine laboratories. The study shall identify research gaps and recommend an agenda for the research program described in section 4. The study shall pay particular attention to the need for research on the impacts of methamphetamine laboratories on--
(1) the residents of buildings where such laboratories are, or were, located, with particular emphasis given to biological impacts on children; and
(2) first responders.
(b) Report.--Not later than 3 months after the completion of the study, the Administrator shall transmit to Congress a report on how the Administrator will use the results of the study to carry out the activities described in sections 3 and 4.
SEC. 7. METHAMPHETAMINE DETECTION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM.
The Director of National Institute of Standards and Technology, in consultation with the Administrator, shall support a research program to develop--
(1) new methamphetamine detection technologies, with emphasis on field test kits and site detection; and
(2) appropriate standard reference materials and validation procedures for methamphetamine detection testing.
SEC. 8. SAVINGS CLAUSE.
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect or limit the application of, or any obligation to comply with, any State or Federal environmental law or regulation, including the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) and the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.).
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Environmental Protection Agency.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the Environmental Protection Agency to carry out this Act $1,750,000 for each of the fiscal years 2007 and 2008.
(b) National Institute of Standards and Technology.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Institute of Standards and Technology to carry out this Act $750,000 for each of the fiscal years 2007 and 2008.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mario Diaz-
Balart) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
General Leave
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 365, the bill now under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Tennessee?
There was no objection.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 365, the Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act. This is the same legislation which passed the House a year ago, but was not enacted into law. Unfortunately, the need for this legislation is just as strong today as it was then.
We have a terrible problem with methamphetamine in Tennessee and the Nation as a whole. One side effect of the methamphetamine epidemic is the chemical waste dump left behind by meth cooks. H.R. 365 focuses on cleanup needs for former meth labs, a tremendous problem facing communities across the country.
The Drug Enforcement Agency reported more than 12,500 domestic meth lab seizures in 2005 alone. These meth labs, most often found in residential settings, are contaminated, not only with methamphetamine but also with other toxic residue associated with the production of meth. These chemical residues pollute the inside of a residence and also threaten septic and water systems. The meth epidemic has not only devastated families, it has also left thousands of potentially toxic waste dumps spread across the country.
Right now, there are unsuspecting families living in homes that were once illegal meth labs. Dangerous and hidden toxic substances on these sites threaten the health of these families, with children being the most vulnerable to the devastating long-term effects of exposure.
H.R. 365 addresses the specific problem of determining the level of cleanup required to ensure that a former meth lab is safe for occupation.
I want to stress that H.R. 365 is not a Federal mandate. Rather, it requires the EPA to develop model, voluntary, health-based cleanup guidelines for use by States and localities if they desire.
In addition, H.R. 365 authorizes this to initiate a research program to develop meth detection equipment for field use.
This will help law enforcement agents detect active meth labs faster and assist in measuring the levels of contamination in former meth labs.
Finally, H.R. 365 requires a study by the National Academy of Sciences on the long-term health impact of exposure to meth labs on children and first responders. It authorizes a total of $5 million for EPA and NIST to carry out these activities over 2 years, a bargain by any standard. The bill is endorsed by the National Association of Counties, the National Sheriffs' Association, the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Narcotics Officers' Associations' Coalition, the National Association of Realtors, the National Multi-Housing Council and the National Apartment Association.
H.R. 365 is not the complete solution to the methamphetamine epidemic. Unfortunately, there will always be people who decide to harm themselves by using methamphetamines, dangerous drugs such as meth or manufacturing dangerous drugs such as meth.
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H.R. 365 aims to protect innocent people whose lives are endangered by these illegal activities.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Ranking Member Hall, Representative Wu, and Representative Calvert for working with me on this legislation in the past Congress, and for sponsoring this legislation for reintroduction in the 110th Congress, as well as I want to thank Mike Quear for the good staff work that has helped bring this bill before us.
This bill is an important component in helping our local communities combat the meth problem. I would urge everyone to vote ``yes'' on this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to place two letters in the Record.
Committee on Science and
Technology,
Washington, DC, February 7, 2007.Hon. John D. Dingell,Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of
Representatives, Rayburn House Office Building,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Dingell: Thank you for your willingness to allow floor consideration of H.R. 365, the Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act of 2007, to proceed unimpeded. As you may know, this bill addresses very important environmental research issues and is a priority for our caucus; approximately half of the House Democratic Caucus has cosponsored the legislation.
I have been cognizant of the jurisdictional limits of the Committee on Science and Technology since I began writing this legislation. Therefore, I instructed my staff to work with the Office of the Parliamentarian to assure a sole referral to the Committee on Science in the 109th Congress and to the Committee on Science and Technology in the 110th Congress. I am pleased that they were successful in both Congresses in keeping the bill within the Science and Technology Committee's black letter jurisdiction over environmental research and development and standardization of weights and measures.
I acknowledge that your committee, if it had so chosen, would have had the right to request a sequential referral of this legislation, both in the 109th Congress and in the 110th Congress. Since this did not occur, I am unable to predict whether the Speaker would have given the Committee on Energy and Commerce a formal referral. I would like to make it clear that I recognize that sequential referrals sometimes do occur at this point in the process and I further recognize that our proceeding to the Floor of the House with this legislation should not be construed as deciding this issue one way or the other.
As you requested, I will insert our two letters in the Congressional Record as part of the consideration of the bill on the House floor. I value your advice and expertise and welcome it any time you wish to share it on legislation that has been referred to the Committee on Science and Technology.
Sincerely,
Bart Gordon,Chairman.
____
Committee on Energy and Commerce,
Washington, DC, February 6, 2007.Hon. Bart Gordon,Chairman, Committee on Science, House of Representatives,
Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: I write with regard to H.R. 365, a bill to provide for a research program for remediation of closed methamphetamine production laboratories. You introduced it on January 10, 2007, and it is scheduled for floor consideration tomorrow under the procedure for suspending the rules.
As you know, I support passage of the bill, and I do not intend to object to its consideration on the House floor. I want to make clear, however, that my support is provided with the understanding that you and I agree that the referral and consideration of the bill does not in any way serve as a jurisdictional precedent as to our two committees.
I request that you send to me a letter confirming our agreement and that, as part of the consideration of the bill on the House floor, you insert our two letters in the Congressional Record. If you wish to discuss this matter further, please contact me or have your staff contact Jonathan Cordone, Deputy Chief Counsel to the Committee, at ext. 5-2927.
Sincerely,
John D. Dingell,
Chairman.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I also rise in support of H.R. 365, the Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act of 2007, that was introduced by our colleague Mr. Gordon, who is obviously the chairman of the Science and Technology Committee, along with ranking member Mr. Hall, Mr. Calvert, and also Mr. Wu.
I want to especially thank Congressman Calvert for his steadfast leadership on this issue for such a long time. He has really been the voice on this issue in Congress for a long time, and has worked with everybody on both sides of the aisle on this legislation.
As Mr. Gordon said, he stated just a while ago, this legislation is very similar to the legislation that passed the Science Committee and the House in the 109th Congress. Mr. Speaker, it passed by a voice vote then. This one also, though, addressed changes made by the Senate in that bill that passed the Congress before.
Over the past decade this issue, the spread of methamphetamine, has been plaguing really everyplace around the country. It has been killing individuals, destroying families, devastating communities in every conceivable part of our country in areas that you would not think that this could happen, in residential areas. It is a huge, huge problem.
We also have to deal with the harmful residue that this horrible substance leaves behind in homes. Those substances cause harm to human beings and to their health for years to come. This legislation focuses on the cleanup of the former meth labs.
H.R. 365 addresses the significant contamination associated with these labs and would provide voluntary guidelines to clean up the former labs. And, again, as I said a little while ago, these meth labs are present all over the United States in residential areas, in places that one would never think this could happen.
Currently, Mr. Speaker, there are no national guidelines or regulations on how to clean up and remediate a residential meth lab for reoccupation of people. States and localities are struggling to protect the public and also the law enforcement officers and the first responders, and they are trying to find a solution that is practical also for the property owners.
Many of the ingredients used in the manufacture of this product are highly dangerous and toxic, and are believed to damage the skin, the eyes and the lungs of even people who move into a house where there used to be a lab. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to hopefully the passage of this legislation and the Senate sending it to the desk of the President for his signature.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, let me first compliment Mr. Diaz-Balart for a good explanation of the bill and the threats that go with this.
I now would like to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri
(Mr. Carnahan), a member of our Science Committee.
Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 365, the Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act of 2007. This bill will be an important tool in the methamphetamine epidemic that is sweeping across our country.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Gordon for moving these bills so quickly through the Science Committee so that we may continue the antimeth initiatives in this new Congress. The bill charges the EPA with the development of health-based guidelines to assist State and local authorities in cleaning up former meth lab sites.
According to the 2006 National Drug Threat Survey of State and Local Law Enforcement, meth was named most often the greatest drug threat. Well, I am proud to say that my home State of Missouri has been a leader nationwide on issues such as expansion of stem cell research and creation and implementation of the historic preservation tax credit. My State, unfortunately, has the most prevalent meth problem.
Based on data from 2005, Missouri had a reported staggering 2,252 meth lab incidents, the highest in the Nation. Jefferson County, in the heart of my district, has the highest number of meth lab incidents in Missouri, reporting 259 incidents in 2005 alone.
I have seen firsthand the negative and harmful impact of this in my district. I have met with law enforcement throughout my district and compliment them on their aggressive and innovative programs.
But the large amount of meth lab incidents in Missouri means that police, firefighters and other first-line responders are exposed to meth labs in the line of duty. While some States have already passed laws to require cleanup of meth labs, Missouri and many others have not.
This bill is vital, because we need the EPA to create these voluntary guidelines for first responders nationwide. This bill would be beneficial in determining the effects of meth exposure. In addition to creating guidelines for cleanup, the bill would also require the National Academy of Sciences to study the long-term impacts on first responders, children and property owners.
Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).
Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join Chairman Gordon, Mr. Hall and Mr. Wu as the lead sponsors of H.R. 365, the Methamphetamine Remediation Act of 2007.
Mr. Speaker, we were very close to sending this legislation to the President for signature at the end of the last Congress, so I greatly appreciate the chairman keeping this issue at the forefront of this Congress and for steering the bill quickly through the Science and Technology Committee at the start of the 110.
Mr. Speaker, I also thank the committee's majority and minority staffs who have diligently worked together and with the Senate over the last few years to develop and revise this legislation.
As a founder and cochairman of the Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine, I know the meth epidemic in our country shows no deference to district or party line. This is an issue everyone can agree is wreaking havoc on communities across our Nation.
As mentioned by my colleagues, H.R. 365 focused its efforts on procedures and standards needed to decontaminate a site where a methamphetamine lab is found so our communities can more thoroughly remediate these sites.
The creation of voluntary health-based remediation guidelines for former meth labs, created by the Environmental Protection Agency, will protect and ensure the health of our citizens and the surrounding environment.
This is a distressing issue with many, and certainly my area of Riverside, California, and, quite frankly, most of America has been all too familiar. Meth poses significant environmental threats as its production leaves, as mentioned, 5 to 6 pounds of toxic waste per pound of methamphetamine developed.
The Drug Enforcement Agency estimates that more than 68 percent of all meth labs are located in ordinary homes in rural and residential areas. State and local agencies need all of the resources and tools that we can provide them to remediate the contamination that remains after meth labs are dismantled so that innocent families are not in danger.
Although we are all aware that more needs to be done to win the fight against this devastating drug, I am convinced that H.R. 365 will be an important step and will be welcomed by our communities.
So I thank Chairman Gordon for his good work, and I encourage all of my colleagues to pass this commonsense legislation.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Calvert for cosponsoring this legislation last session as well as this session, and for his work as cochair of the important Methamphetamine Caucus.
I now yield 2 minutes to my friend from Texas (Mr. Al Green), an alumnus of the Science Committee.
Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it was a preeminent privilege to serve with the gentleman on the Science Committee when he was a chairperson in waiting, and I am honored to call you Mr. Chairman today.
Mr. Speaker, this is a serious problem. I beseech, I urge, I implore, I beg that my colleagues would support this legislation, H.R. 365.
365 is an appropriate number for this legislation, because this is a 365/24/7 problem. And this problem must be dealt with. This is a dangerous drug to produce. It is toxic. It is poisonous. It is deadly. It can explode. Twenty percent of all labs are discovered because of fire or explosion.
And as bad as this is, there is a sinister side to this drug. Innocent people are being harmed by virtue of this drug being in residential property that landlords are not aware of. And when these innocent persons move in with their children, the residue from this product is causing damage to the liver, damage to the lungs, may cause cancer, and it creates problems in the neurological system.
Mr. Speaker, we must act now. These labs are in all 50 States. No State is beyond the scope of this problem. Two-thirds of the residential settings are victimized with these labs. Between 2003 and 2005, the DEA pointed out that 47,000 lab incidents occurred. We must act now if the innocent are to be protected from this deadly assassin. I beg that we all support this important piece of legislation.
Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Boswell).
(Mr. BOSWELL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. BOSWELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 365, and I associate myself with the remarks just made. Well said. It is a scourge to our country.
I want to thank Chairman Gordon and Ranking Member Hall of the Science and Technology Committee for their hard work on this important piece of legislation. I also want to thank the Meth Caucus leadership, Messrs. Cannon, Calvert and Larsen, who I have worked with.
Meth has wreaked havoc on our communities. Every district in our Nation has in some way felt the impact of what methamphetamine can do to families, the burden it places on local law enforcement and public health, and the toxic effect it has on the environment. In my State of Iowa alone, we had roughly 350 meth lab busts last year. Although this number is significantly down from 1,500 busts in 2004, it still presents a tremendous problem for my State.
I personally thank Marvin Van Haaften of Marion County, our recent drug czar, for his great work and leadership in this cause. In order to effectively continue our efforts to eradicate meth from our communities, we need every piece of information available. This legislation will increase the pool of information that local law enforcement and others rely upon.
Mr. Speaker, I am particularly pleased that this legislation takes the necessary steps to coordinate the development of meth detection equipment with emphasis on field detection equipment. I believe having reliable equipment in the field will not only strengthen meth-related cases, it will increase the safety of our law enforcement officers, enabling them to take necessary steps to protect themselves from the toxic environment caused by the production of methamphetamine.
Furthermore, the study commissioned by the legislation exposes the long-term effects of exposure of meth labs on children and first responders. This help is long overdue. I am proud this legislation addresses the issue.
Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of H.R. 365, I strongly urge my colleagues to support and pass this measure.
Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the former youngest attorney general in the Nation, who saw firsthand the problem with methamphetamine in Kentucky (Mr. Chandler).
Mr. CHANDLER. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today in support of my good friend and chairman, the fine gentleman from Tennessee, who is on a mission of mercy.
Mr. Speaker, this issue is extremely important to all people in this country, and truly it represents an epidemic. It is a problem that does affect every single State in our country, and unfortunately it has had a disproportionate effect on my home State of Kentucky, as I know it has also in Tennessee.
Law enforcement officials, in my view, have done an incredible job in fighting the meth epidemic. According to the Office of Drug Control Policy, in June of last year, there were almost 57 percent fewer methamphetamine lab seizures in Kentucky than in the previous years; however, our State still ended the year with well over 500 meth lab incidents.
Our law enforcement officials cannot do it alone. Fighting production of meth is not the last battle we face when dealing with this terrible drug. We have to take it a step further.
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Meth is highly volatile, and because it is often produced in homes, apartments or hotel rooms, this drug can threaten the health of whomever may occupy that space later. We must ensure that the environments of our families are free of the remnants of meth production. We must take the necessary steps so that the authorities know how to best clean former sites and develop new technologies for detecting this harmful drug. And, Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what this bill does.
I encourage my colleagues to support this fine piece of legislation and help our communities in their fight against this truly difficult epidemic.
Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to a former DA from New York State who, once again, has seen this epidemic firsthand and has dealt with it there, and now, as a new Member of Congress, he is dealing with it on a national basis, Mr. Arcuri.
Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, as a former DA from upstate New York, I know firsthand the scourge that methamphetamine has laid upon our rural areas. And I represented a district that was both urban and rural, and I saw that methamphetamines did to the rural areas what crack cocaine did to the urban areas. And I think that it is imperative that we take these steps that we are taking to fight methamphetamines.
The difference, however, between methamphetamines and crack is that there is a derivative effect that methamphetamine has, and that is that it affects the people who live in the households of people who produce methamphetamines and law enforcement officers when they go into those areas. So it is very important that this bill is passed because it does exactly what local law enforcement needs, and that is for the Federal Government to act in a way that develops strategies for fighting methamphetamines, strategies for protecting our law enforcement officials.
So I strongly support this bill, and urge my colleagues to support it.
Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, Oregon has long had a terrible problem with methamphetamines, and a real fighter there has been Ms. Hooley, and I yield 2 minutes to her.
Ms. HOOLEY. Mr. Speaker, and Mr. Chairman, thank you so much for all of your leadership on this issue. I applaud you.
In my three decades of public service, I don't think I have ever seen a problem as pervasive or as damaging as the methamphetamine epidemic that is sweeping our country. Meth is a serious threat to public health and safety, not only because of the highly addictive nature of the drug and what it does to the user, but also the ease of production and the danger of toxic chemicals used to manufacture it.
These toxic chemicals cause significant property damage from residue contamination in the floors and the walls of the house, to fires, even deadly explosions. Chemicals used to make meth are highly flammable and toxic. It is estimated, for every pound of meth produced, we have 6 to 7 pounds of toxic waste.
And meth addicts don't care where the toxic chemicals end up, often dumping the waste down the drain or onto the ground, leaving it to contaminate the community's water supply and their soil.
In conversations with local health officials in my district, they have stressed to me the harmful health effects that living not only in the former meth houses but even next door to one can have on people, particularly children and the elderly.
Because the meth epidemic began in the west coast before moving east, Oregon has long been a leader in the fight against meth and the destruction it brings to our communities. We have been a leader in developing standards for the cleanup of meth labs, setting standards for decontamination and certifying that a property has been cleaned by a State-licensed contractor before it is sold or rented. Oregon's standards have been seen as the highest in the Nation. I would encourage the EPA to look at Oregon as they develop national standards. But we need a consistent Federal standard that is based on research and best practices.
When the cost to clean up a small, single family home can easily reach $15,000, we need to make sure that we are spending our money wisely by using the best possible remediation methods. This bill will help us do this.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 365.
Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hill).
Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Gordon for introducing this important piece of legislation, the Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act.
In my home State of Indiana and throughout our country, meth labs are a growing problem, and we all know this. In Jackson County, Indiana, where I grew up and raised my family, 64 meth labs were found there in 2003. That was the fourth highest total in the State.
These meth labs pose a serious threat to the safety and physical well-being of communities and particularly our Nation's children. This bill will provide States with specific guidelines and advice on the most effective way to decontaminate a meth lab. In addition, this bill will also help keep our local law enforcement safe during a meth lab cleanup.
I would like to thank our law enforcement agents who I have had many, many conversations with about this growing problem in America and Indiana. I want to thank them for working to dramatically lower the number of meth labs in Indiana to fewer than 1,000 for the first time since 2002. We need to continue to support our local law enforcement and give them the knowledge and tools they need to make sure our communities stay safe.
Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, no Member of this Congress has done more to fight this epidemic of methamphetamine than the cochairman of the Methamphetamine Caucus, Mr. Larsen. I thank him for his good work and yield him 1 minute.
Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise in full support of H.R. 365, and I want to thank Chairman Gordon, Mr. Hall and my fellow cochairs of the Meth Caucus, Mr. Calvert, Mr. Boswell and Mr. Cannon for their work in drafting this bill, getting it to the floor here today.
Meth is literally a chemical cocktail. It is made from hazardous caustic substances. In the process of cooking a batch of meth, those chemicals seep into the interior of a home, and often innocent families move into these houses and apartments completely unaware that their new home was once used to cook meth. It isn't until they become ill that they know something is terribly wrong.
The DEA reported over 12,000 meth lab busts in 2005 in 49 States. There are currently no Federal standards or health-based guidelines to determine when a former lab is safe to inhabit.
This bill will create the research both to know when a home is safe to reinhabit and the health impacts of exposure to a lab. We owe it the children found in meth labs each year to know how their health has been affected and how best to treat them. This bill does that.
As a cochair of the Meth Caucus, I am very pleased to see an important meth bill like this one brought to the floor, and I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, our final speaker is the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett) and I yield him 1\1/2\ minutes.
Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, as an active member of the Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamines, and a sponsor of this bill, I am pleased that early in this Congress we are addressing a killer that strikes fear in the hearts of parents and exacts great cost from our communities.
Over 10 million Americans age 12 and older are reported to have tried methamphetamine. In 2005, in Texas alone, some 250-plus meth labs were seized. Their dangers are not limited to the criminal manufacturers of this wretched drug or the consumers of this poison. Rather, these highly toxic labs represent a much wider threat. Even the remains of the illicit production of a meth lab can, by themselves, produce life-
threatening injuries, death, and destruction of property.
Our votes today supporting the Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act are votes to protect our families, our neighborhoods, and support our law enforcement organizations as they attack the destructive impact of meth labs. We must continue to work with local, State and Federal law enforcement to ensure that we are combating this scourge at every level--that our local officials have the technology, the funding, and the support they need to detect these labs, close them down and clean them up.
I applaud the leadership of Chairman Gordon and all those who have worked on this piece of legislation. We took some action last year and there is much more action which is necessary, but this is a very important next step in our efforts against meth.
Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds.
I just want to also thank the chairman of the Science and Technology Committee, the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon), for putting this on the top of his agenda, at the top of his priorities. It is an important issue, and I want to thank him for doing that.
Mr. Speaker, we have no further requests for time, and so I would yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, it certainly is nice to see a good bipartisan piece of legislation pass through this House. It is a good way to start. I appreciate the cooperation of everybody involved.
In closing, I want to say that this targeted bill can help every community where a meth lab has been discovered. I would urge a ``yes'' vote on H.R. 365.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 365, the Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act of 2007. This critically important piece of legislation helps detect and safely dispose of Methamphetamine production sites across this nation.
The issue of illegal methamphetamines is a top health concern for me and my constituents in the 12th district of California. According to the National Drug Intelligence Center's February 2005 National Drug Threats Assessment Report, the level of methamphetamine consumption in San Francisco is critically high compared with that of most other cities in the United States.
Mr. Speaker, let me start by emphasizing the extreme danger that methamphetamines pose on today's youth. Methamphetamine is a drug concocted from a variety of household items including gasoline, paint thinner, battery acid, propane, and lighter fluid among other things, cooked together to form a powder or crystal like substance that is either smoked, ingested or injected.
According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy methamphetamines are a highly addictive drug that can cause progressive social and occupational deterioration and lead to episodes of violent behavior, paranoia, anxiety, confusion, and insomnia. Habitual usage can lead to physical complications such as inflammation of the heart lining, damaged blood vessels, skin abscesses, as well as variety of cardiovascular problems that ultimately can lead to death. Doctors have equated damage to the brain caused by methamphetamine use with brain damage caused by Alzheimer's disease, stroke, and epilepsy. Psychotic symptoms can sometimes persist for months or years after drug use has ceased.
According to the 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health an estimated 10.4 million Americans aged 12 or older used methamphetamine at least once in their lifetimes. The Drug Abuse Warning Network estimates that in 2004 methamphetamine was involved in 73,400 emergency room visits.
Mr. Speaker, in addition to the horrific effects that methamphetamine has on the human body the caustic nature of the production of the drug has enormously detrimental effects on the environment. This horrendous drug is produced in what is often referred to as ``Meth Labs.'' These laboratories can exist virtually anywhere, in fact methamphetamine laboratories have been found in all 50 states. They are overwhelmingly hidden amongst residential communities and pose a detrimental risk to millions of Americans. It is estimated that methamphetamine production creates approximately six pounds of waste for every one pound of product. If not properly cleaned, this highly volatile waste product leaves a toxic residue that can threaten the health of whoever may come in contact with it.
According to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) there were more then 47,000 reported Meth Lab incidents between the years 2003 and 2005. Nearly one in five of those were fires or explosions caused by the highly toxic and potentially flammable ingredients used to create the drug.
Even after these Meth Labs are discovered by authorities and shut down, and the criminals operating the labs are long incarcerated, the effects of their morally reprehensible action can continue to adversely affect the health and well-being of the innocent citizens living and working nearby.
While some states including my home State of California have taken the initiative to pass laws that outline methamphetamine laboratory cleanup procedures, there are currently no federal standards for cleaning up these potentially toxic sites. Mr. Speaker, the time is long overdue for us to take action to seek out and shut down these labs in a safe and healthy way. H.R. 365, The Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act of 2007 will do just that by creating a road map to assure the safety of our children and first responders.
The bill authorizes $1.75 million in funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to research best practices programs for detection and proper sanitation of methamphetamine labs. It will also specifically authorize $750,000 for the National Institute of Standards and Technology in collaboration with the EPA to research and develop methamphetamine detection equipment. Thirdly, the bill will direct the EPA to work with the National Academy of Sciences to study the long term health effects of methamphetamine laboratory exposure to children and first responders.
Mr. Speaker, the war against meth is being waged on many fronts. This bill is a critical step to ensuring that law enforcement agencies and first responders are provided with the best information and ability to mitigate the numerous detrimental effects caused by methamphetamine production. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation in an effort to rid our communities of this epidemic.
Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 365, the Methamphetamine Research Remediation Act. Methamphetamines represent a tremendous growing threat to the fabric of our society. Last year, I held more than 40 town hall meetings across Southern New Mexico, listening to law enforcement, health officials, recovering addicts, and other experts. Time and time again I heard horror stories about whole families in my district destroyed by methamphetamines. It is our duty as members of the United States Congress to protect America from all enemies foreign and domestic. Mr. Speaker, methamphetamines are one the greatest domestic threats that our nation faces. We must confront its production, its trafficking, its abuse, and its effect on the land itself.
Meth is a problem concentrated in the West and Southwest, but be aware that this great evil is moving across America, and soon no one will be able to say it is not their problem. As meth spreads across our nation it leaves a trail of destroyed lives, families, homes, communities, property and public lands in its wake. H.R. 365 the Methamphetamine Research Remediation Act of 2007 will set needed standards for the clean-up of property and public lands destroyed by methamphetamines. Unlike other drugs, the cooking of methamphetamines is hazardous to everything that it touches and can render houses and property uninhabitable. H.R. 365 will address the environmental impact of methamphetamines, and how to recover our properties and lands.
In the Second District of New Mexico half-million dollar homes have been left uninhabitable, and state parks have become unusable. This destruction occurs because of methamphetamine cooking and the dumping of meth related chemicals. I fear that unsuspecting New Mexicans will encounter these environmental hazards and endanger their lives. H.R. 365 The Methamphetamines Research Remediation Act of 2007, will provide communities across America with the proper information and procedures on how to clean up meth labs and reclaim the land they have poisoned.
This bill is the first in many steps we should take to track and fight Meth in our communities. I have introduced H.R. 304, the CLEAN TOWN Act to help in our battle against meth. As we talk about this bill, I hope my colleagues will examine my legislation that has tremendous promise to help change the way we fight drugs and drug dealers. I urge all my colleagues to join me in fighting Meth and help us save America's families.
Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, as Congress debates measures to clean up meth labs, I believe it is important to offer a physician's perspective to help some people understand why this drug is so dangerous. Also called crank, blue acid, speed, and ice, meth is a popular drug because it is cheap, easy to manufacture, and acts as a powerful stimulant. An investment of just a few hundred dollars in over-the-counter medications and chemicals can produce thousands of dollars worth of methamphetamine, which can be cooked in something as small as a suitcase.
The average meth ``cook'' annually teaches an average of ten people how to make the drug. Typical ingredients include over-the-counter cold and asthma medications containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, in addition to red phosphorous, hydrochloric acid, drain cleaner, battery acid, lye, lantern fuel, and antifreeze.
In fact, users of this drug are often not aware that they are potentially ingesting toxic chemicals. The toxic fumes emitted during manufacturing are highly flammable, even explosive, and can suffocate plants, animals, and even people. For my colleagues concerned about the environment, each pound of meth produced leaves behind five or six pounds of toxic waste. Meth ``cooks'' often pour leftover chemicals and byproduct sludge down drains in nearby plumbing, storm drains, or directly onto the ground, creating long-term hazards: the chemical waste can remain in our soil and groundwater for years. The average cost to clean up a methamphetamine laboratory ranges between $2,000 and
$3,000. However, this does not include the ancillary costs of cleaning up a former laboratory.
In February 2005, the Atlanta Police, U.S. Drug Enforcement, the MCS drug taskforce, and other law enforcement agencies discovered Georgia's first ``super lab'' at a house in Smyrna, Georgia, which is in the Congressional District I represent. With 39 pounds of meth-crystal and 250 gallons of the drug in liquid form, one mistake could have destroyed an entire neighborhood due to the explosive volatility of the materials.
No longer just the addictive scourge of 1970's biker gangs, meth is a very real problem that affects our children and neighbors in very real ways. The drug works directly on the brain and spinal cord by interacting with neurotransmitters--chemical substances produced in nerve cells--which communicate throughout the body. The foremost neurotransmitter affected by methamphetamine is dopamine, which is involved with our natural reward system. This is known as the automatic nervous system. For example, a pat on the back for a job well done, getting enjoyment from family and social interactions, and the feeling that our lives are meaningful, all rely on dopamine transmission.
With properties that target the nervous system, it should be no surprise that side affects of meth include extreme paranoia, violent behavior, rapid weight loss, tooth loss, hallucinations, unexplained voices, pale complexion, speech impediments, Parkinson's disease-like symptoms, depression, insomnia, suicide contemplation, and schizophrenia. It is important to mention these various symptoms and health problems because without proper clean-up unseen chemicals can spread from one home through entire neighborhoods, creating an unknown danger to current and future owners.
Considering the numerous dangers caused by methamphetamines, I believe it is more important than ever to make sure our law enforcement community has the laws, equipment, and training necessary to protect our communities from this drug. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the House of Representatives for the passage of today's Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act of 2007, which includes substantive legislation that will establish voluntary guidelines to assist state and local governments in the development and implementation of policies for the clean-up of former methamphetamine laboratories.
Mr. Costello. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 365, the Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act to initiate standards for methamphetamine (meth) cleanup in our neighborhoods. As a cosponsor of H.R. 365, I believe this legislation is necessary in order to protect unsuspecting families from the dangers of illegal meth labs and provide the necessary tools for law enforcement to detect labs throughout our communities.
As a member of the Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine and a former law enforcement official, I am actively working with my colleagues to decrease methamphetamine use. In my home state of Illinois, there were 1,189 methamphetamine laboratory seizures reported in 2005, many in my district in Southern Illinois. In order to combat meth, I believe we need a comprehensive plan to deal with the environmental, health, and law enforcement challenges facing our communities because of the growing use of this dangerous drug.
Mr. Speaker, the national guidelines this bill creates will help protect our communities by ensuring that dangerous meth labs are cleaned properly and efficiently. It is my continued hope that by raising national awareness about meth and providing increased federal resources to combat the drug problem, we can make significant progress to overcome methamphetamine use. This legislation is a critical step we can take toward this goal and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 365.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 365.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will be postponed.
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