Pubdate: Mon, 10 Apr 2006
Source: Hickory Daily Record (NC)
Copyright: 2006 Hickory Daily Record
Contact:  http://www.hickoryrecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1109
Author:  Andrew Mackie
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

EXAMINING METH'S INFLUENCE

Epidemic Spurs Congressional Hearing Tuesday In Lenoir

HICKORY - The methamphetamine epidemic has spurred a congressional 
hearing on the issue in the Hickory region.

U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry will hold a Government Reform Committee 
field hearing Tuesday regarding meth's influence in the district.

The hearing - termed "Appalachian Ice: The Methamphetamine Epidemic 
in Western North Carolina" - is set for Tuesday at 10 a.m. in the 
Caldwell County Board of Commissioners Chamber.

"We want to bring the Washington policymakers to Caldwell County to 
see what is happening on the ground," McHenry said. "Hopefully, these 
witnesses will be able to tell the blight of meth."

The hearing is a follow-up to McHenry's meeting with local sheriffs 
and drug enforcement officials in February 2005 to discuss solutions 
to the meth problem.

McHenry introduced legislation as a result of the meeting that 
doubles the prison sentence from 10 to 20 years for offenders caught 
manufacturing methamphetamine in the presence of children.

"Now that we have passed comprehensive anti-meth legislation on the 
federal level, I want to go back to local law enforcement and let 
them present what is happening on the ground," McHenry said.

Caldwell County Sheriff Gary Clark and District Attorney Jay Gaither 
will be among six speakers which include law enforcement officers 
from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and the North Carolina State 
Bureau of Investigation.

Lynn Vasquez, the grandmother of a meth addict, will provide an 
account of the impact meth has on families.

The hearing will be chaired by U.S. Rep. Mark Souder, R-Ind. He is 
chairman of the House Government Reform Subcommittee of Criminal 
Justice, Drug Policy and Human Resources.

The subcommittee is responsible for authorizing legislation for the 
Office of National Drug Control Policy and its programs along with 
oversight of U.S. government drug control efforts.

The hearing is expected to last about two hours and will be available 
by live by videostream at http://mchenry.house.gov.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman