CONGRESSWOMAN CANDICE MILLER
Protecting Our Nation, Protecting Our Communities
by Congresswoman Candice S. Miller

The road to renewing one of our most vital legal tools in fighting the war on terror - the PATRIOT Act - has been long-winded and highly controversial. I have long been a champion of making this important legislation become permanent, and on March 7, the bill was finally sent to the President to be signed into law.

But the recently extended version of the PATRIOT Act, which was originally passed in reaction to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, is slightly different, but no less powerful, than the original. In fact, the new bill will protect more than just our nation's security; it will protect our children and communities from other threats as well.

Since its passage following 9/11, the PATRIOT Act has helped our law enforcement and intelligence communities, both here and abroad, identify and disrupt over 150 terrorist threats and cells, and frozen over $136 million in assets around the world. Terrorist cells have been broken up all over the nation, in cities such as Detroit, Buffalo, Seattle, Portland (Oregon) and Northern Virginia, among others.

The bill is no doubt a key tool in fighting terrorism at home and abroad. But the PATRIOT Act that became law contains important, and useful new provisions that will help our nation fight not only the war on terror, but also the war on drugs.

A new drug-fighting provision of the bill, called the Methamphetamine Epidemic Elimination Act, imposes greater restrictions on the availability of these damaging chemicals. It seeks to reduce the supply of meth, and punish producers, traffickers and smugglers of the dangerous drug.

Our nation, unfortunately, has a growing problem with methamphetamines. In Michigan alone, law enforcement officials seized 249 meth labs statewide in 2005 - up from 209 in 2004.

This dangerous trend has been spreading throughout the country at an alarming rate in recent years. It is important that we crack down on this growing trend so that our children can grow and flourish in drug-free communities. I am proud to have supported this legislation that effectively protects not only our national security, but protects our children and communities from the influence of drugs as well.

If you wish to contact Congresswoman Miller you may reach her in Washington, D.C. at 228 Cannon Building, Washington, D.C. 20515; Phone: 202-225-2106; Fax: 202-226-1169. You may also reach her in Michigan at Van Dyke Ave., Shelby Township, MI 48317; Phone: 586-997-5010; Fax: 586-997-5013.