MONTANA — U.S. Senator Steve Daines and Attorney General Tim Fox announced a $946,981 grant for critical anti-meth enforcement in Montana. The grant was formally authorized in the opioids legislation that was signed into law yesterday by President Trump.
Montana is one of just nine states chosen to receive the funds through the CAMP (COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program). The state was selected for its high rate of seized finished meth, meth lab materials, and precursor chemicals for meth production. Over the next two years these funds will help the Montana Department of Justice investigate Meth production and distribution.
“I am grateful for the work of Montana’s law enforcement community,” Daines said. “Their work over the last several years has resulted in the critical seizure of meth and enforcement of meth related crimes. These funds will help fight back against the devastation meth has on our tribes and families.”
“The meth epidemic is killing Montanans and wreaking untold damage upon our children, families, and communities,” Fox said. “This grant will be an important resource allowing us to expand our ongoing efforts, including the specialized drug interdiction team we launched last year. We worked hard to secure this grant and I am grateful to Sen. Daines, the U.S. Department of Justice, and all who joined in the effort to make this happen.”
A formal release from AG Fox’s office is forthcoming. For detailed questions please reach John Barnes at 406-444-2031.
Yesterday, President Trump signed legislation to help combat the devastating opioid epidemic across Montana and the nation. Daines fought to ensure the now law also includes specific provisions that address the meth crisis in Montana.
Daines fought to include multiple provisions in the new law that will help combat the meth and opioid crisis in Montana including:
- The bipartisan Mitigating METH Act, introduced by Daines, which expands the state targeted response to the opioid crisis grants to include Indian tribes as eligible recipients.
- The bipartisan STOP Act which helps stop illegal drugs from coming in at the border or being shipped through the postal service.
Daines also fought to reauthorize key meth prevention and enforcement including:
- Reauthorization of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA)
- Reauthorization of the Drug Court program
- Codifying the COPS Anti-Meth Program
Earlier this month, Daines also met with James Carroll, the nominee to head the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), to discuss the importance of ending the drug epidemic in Montana. At the meeting, Daines hand delivered a letter to Carroll inviting him to Montana. Carroll is currently the Acting Director for ONDCP.
In September, Daines took to the floor of the U.S. Senate to urge his colleagues to support the measure and to highlight the drastic impacts meth and opioids have in Montana.
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