Post by blackcrowheart on Jun 13, 2007 14:54:25 GMT -5
Secretary touts funding for Indian meth fight
By BRIAN INDRELUNAS/Cronkite News Service
PHOENIX - U.S. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne on Thursday
touted plans to devote $16 million more to the fight against
methamphetamine use on American Indian reservations.
Kempthorne, whose department includes the Bureau of Indian Affairs and
the Bureau of Indian Education, met with tribal and federal leaders in a
closed session at the Heard Museum. He said many of the tribal officials
brought up methamphetamine-related problems.
"It affirmed that we're on the right track with this methamphetamine
(initiative)," Kempthorne told reporters after the meeting.
In its proposed 2008 budget, the Interior Department plans to add $11
million for 51 new law enforcement officers in American Indian
communities throughout the country and drug-enforcement training for 100
officers.
Only 11 reservation officers have that training now, Kempthorne said.
The proposed budget would also add $5 million for 91 new detention
officers to deal with increasingly violent inmates.
"With methamphetamine, which created a violent behavior, the
detention centers are having more and more challenges," Kempthorne
said.
Charles Vaughn, chairman of the Hualapai Nation, said drug users have
attacked people on his reservation with golf clubs and baseball bats.
"Of course, (the increase is) inadequate from our perspective, but
it's a start," Vaughn added.
The Interior Department is also proposing a $15 million budget increase
for the Bureau of Indian Education, which runs 184 reservation schools
in 23 states.
"We have upward of 50,000 children that are in Native American
schools, and yet we're not seeing the progress that we think is
necessary," Kempthorne said.
By BRIAN INDRELUNAS/Cronkite News Service
PHOENIX - U.S. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne on Thursday
touted plans to devote $16 million more to the fight against
methamphetamine use on American Indian reservations.
Kempthorne, whose department includes the Bureau of Indian Affairs and
the Bureau of Indian Education, met with tribal and federal leaders in a
closed session at the Heard Museum. He said many of the tribal officials
brought up methamphetamine-related problems.
"It affirmed that we're on the right track with this methamphetamine
(initiative)," Kempthorne told reporters after the meeting.
In its proposed 2008 budget, the Interior Department plans to add $11
million for 51 new law enforcement officers in American Indian
communities throughout the country and drug-enforcement training for 100
officers.
Only 11 reservation officers have that training now, Kempthorne said.
The proposed budget would also add $5 million for 91 new detention
officers to deal with increasingly violent inmates.
"With methamphetamine, which created a violent behavior, the
detention centers are having more and more challenges," Kempthorne
said.
Charles Vaughn, chairman of the Hualapai Nation, said drug users have
attacked people on his reservation with golf clubs and baseball bats.
"Of course, (the increase is) inadequate from our perspective, but
it's a start," Vaughn added.
The Interior Department is also proposing a $15 million budget increase
for the Bureau of Indian Education, which runs 184 reservation schools
in 23 states.
"We have upward of 50,000 children that are in Native American
schools, and yet we're not seeing the progress that we think is
necessary," Kempthorne said.