WASHINGTON, D.C. – A compromise tonight on the Patriot Act resulted in a delay in Congressional passage of the Combat Meth Act sponsored by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Jim Talent (R-Mo.)

"I am very disappointed combating the scourge of methamphetamine was not included in the compromise on the Patriot Act,” Senator Feinstein said. “This is a critical bill that has strong support in the Senate, the problem is that it got caught up in very difficult maneuvers at the end of the session. I will continue the fight to get this important legislation passed and am pleased that the Senate leadership has agreed to a vote in January or early February."

Senators Feinstein and Talent had worked with leaders in both parties and on both sides of the Capitol to push for the toughest, most comprehensive anti-meth package ever considered by the Congress. The legislation was included in the Conference Committee report for the Patriot Act. However, passage of the full Conference Committee report became caught up in debate over some of the expiring provisions of the Patriot Act. And a compromise was reached to simply extend the current law for six months, rather than vote on the Conference Committee report.

The Talent-Feinstein legislation restricts the sale of products containing ingredients needed to cook meth, provides new tools to states, local law enforcement and prosecutors to combat meth and includes treatment funding to help those affected by meth.

“This legislation, once law, would strike a blow against the meth epidemic,” Senator Feinstein said. “The heart of the bill is a strong standard for keeping pseudophedrine products out of the hands of meth cooks. This includes a limit on how much cold medicine with pseudophedrine can be purchased in a 30-day period, moving these products behind the counter, and requiring purchasers to show identification and sign a log book. The experience in Oklahoma, Iowa, and other states shows that by taking these steps we can have an immediate and dramatic effect on the meth crisis.”

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