The Shadow
Last week, the Office of National Drug Control Policy announced the designation of Lee, Scott, and Wise counties as High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA).
The mission of the HIDTA program is to provide assistance to federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States.
This announcement is good and bad news for the fight against drugs in Southwest Virginia. On the positive side, the support and resources provided through the HIDTA program will aid authorities in Lee, Scott, and Wise counties in their current efforts combating drug-related activities. Regrettably, there is a need for more localities in Southwest Virginia to be included in this designation. I know that there are a number of other jurisdictions in the District seeking this designation, and my office is making inquiries to see how we can assist.
I have also spoken with Virginia’s secretary of public safety, Marla Decker, about the issue and she has indicated her office is willing to help in any way they can.
Illegal drugs have no place in our communities. Drug abuse affects a person’s physical and mental health and has serious legal, social, and financial consequences. It also has a direct impact on the safety of our families and communities. I have never used illegal drugs, but as a criminal defense attorney, I saw hundreds of lives damaged or destroyed when someone thought they could use illegal drugs “just once.”
The United States has taken significant measures to reduce the manufacturing, trafficking, and use of illegal drugs.
While overall drug use has decreased over the past several years in the United States, Southwest Virginia is still fighting this battle, particularly methamphetamines and prescription drug abuse (oxycodone). Methamphetamines are being trafficked through Southwest Virginia by cartels and are also being manufactured in dangerous “shake and bake” labs. Also, people will rent a house and use the kitchen as a production lab. When they are caught or move out, the house is left as a hazardous site. Local agencies have to foot the bill for the cleanup.
Cleaning up old meth labs is an environmental hazard affecting local law enforcement budgets. The federal government should give additional help to clean up these illegal labs. As you know, I believe there are several Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) programs that are unnecessary and go too far. Instead of spending money on these programs, perhaps we can redirect some of the EPA’s budget to assist local law enforcement with the cleanup of these hazardous labs. Sounds like a good use of taxpayer money to me.
Last week, President Obama rolled in to North Carolina and Virginia on a campaign-style, three-day bus tour to promote his $447 billion jobs bill. While the House and Senate are taking a close look at some ideas in his proposal, it’s clear that another massive spending bill just won’t work.
Everyone saw what happened with the first stimulus plan. We spent $787 billion of money we don’t have with little results to show for it besides more debt and stubbornly high unemployment.
While on the road, President Obama said he wanted “to work with Republicans on ways to create jobs right now.” And that he is “open to any serious idea.” If the president wants to encourage job growth, he can start by rolling back unreasonable regulations that are threatening American jobs.
I am disappointed that President Obama bypassed Southside and Southwest Virginia on his tour. If he had stopped in our region he could see the real-world impacts of over burdensome regulations on the economy and jobs. From the coal mines of deep Southwest Virginia to power plants in Giles and Russell counties to MeadWestvaco in Covington, more unreasonable regulations from the EPA are making it more difficult to do business.
These excessive regulations are holding back investment, which in turn, is holding back job creation. We have an opportunity to jumpstart economic growth, but we have to provide job creators with real world solutions and assurances that more new job-killing regulations aren’t right around the corner.
To better serve you, throughout the month of November, members of my staff will be holding traveling offices hours around the Ninth District.
As always, if you have concerns or comments or wish to inquire about legislative issues, feel free to contact my offices. You can call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671. To reach my office via email, please visit my website at
www.morgangriffith.house.gov.
