Native American Methamphetamine Enforcement and Treatment Act of 2007
On March 15, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved, by voice vote, the Native American Methamphetamine Enforcement and Treatment Act of 2007 (H.R. 545). The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health approved the bill, by voice vote, on March 13 after adopting, also by voice vote, an amendment by Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT), which made technical corrections to the bill. The measure would amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (P.L. 90-618) to include territories and tribal governments as eligible grant recipients under the Community Oriented Policing (COP) Methamphetamine Hot Spots program, the Drug-Endangered Children program, and the Pregnant and Parenting Women Offenders program. These programs address the manufacture, sale, and use of methamphetamines; provide aid to children affected by methamphetamine production or abuse; and address methamphetamine use by pregnant and parenting women offenders.
“Methamphetamine is a scourge, and pueblos should have the same access as other communities to grants to alleviate the problem,” said Rep. Heather Wilson (R-NM). She continued, “This bill makes sure Native American governments can apply for federal funds that Congress sets aside to help fight meth.”
Stroke Treatment and Ongoing Prevention Act
On the same day, the committee approved, by voice vote, the Stroke Treatment and Ongoing Prevention Act (H.R. 477). The bill, sponsored by Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA), would authorize $5 million for FY2008-2012 for the secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out an education campaign about the warning signs of, and treatment options for, stroke. An additional $4 million per year for FY2008-2012 would be authorized for medical professional development programs for stroke and traumatic injury treatment and prevention. The measure also would authorize $10 million for FY2008, $13 million for FY2009, $15 million for FY2010, $8 million for FY2011, and $4 million for FY2012, for grants to states and private organizations to conduct a five-year pilot project to improve stroke patient outcomes by coordinating health care delivery through telehealth networks.
At the subcommittee mark-up of the measure, Rep. Capps said, “This bill has traveled a long road to arrive here today. We passed it in the House in the 108th Congress and the Senate managed to pass it back in the 107th, but hopefully by getting an early start we can pass this legislation in both houses and have it signed into law. This bill would take many important steps towards improving the treatment of stroke patients in our country…Stroke is our nation’s number three killer and is a leading cause of long-term disability. By passing this legislation into law, we can make great strides in our ability to prevent and treat stroke for the millions of Americans who are affected by it.”
