A bill signed into law by President Bush excludes tribes from two new anti-methamphetamine programs, The Albuquerque Journal reports.

The USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act became law last month [H.R.3199]. It included the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act that created the COPS Hot Spots Grant Program and the Drug-Endangered Children Grant Program.

But tribes are not eligible to apply for funding. Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-New Mexico) is sponsoring a bill to ensure that tribes can tap into $99 million in grants from the Hot Spots Program and $20 million in grants from the Drug-Endangered Children Program.

According to the text of the law pertaining to the Hot Spots, "The Attorney General, through the Bureau of Justice Assistance in the Office of Justice Programs may make grants to States to address the manufacture, sale, and use of methamphetamine to enhance public safety." Tribes are not mentioned at all.

The language for the Drug-Endangered Children grants also mentions "grants to States" but does not include tribes.

But just a few sections down, in a section dealing with grants to address meth use by pregnant women and mothers, "Indian Tribes" are eligible for funding.

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Indians Left Out of Anti-Meth Bill (The Albuquerque Journal 4/26)
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