Tester Welcomes Attorney General to Montana, Asks Sessions to Support His ANTI Drugs Act

During Attorney General’s Billings Visit, Senator Pushes for More Resources for Montana Law Enforcement

(Big Sandy, Mont.)-U.S. Senator Jon Tester welcomed Attorney General Jeff Sessions to Montana today and delivered a message, “Support my ANTI Drugs Act” so we can combat meth use.

Tester’s bill will reauthorize and increase funding for three critical grant initiatives that have a proven record of helping local law enforcement and Customs and Border Protection officers keep drugs out of Montana communities and reduce drug-related crimes.

“We ask a lot of our local law enforcement, and providing federal resources is the most effective way we can help in their effort,” Tester wrote in a letter to Sessions. “We must do better to help our law enforcement officers keep our communities safe. That is why I recently introduced the ANTI Drugs Act which would increase resources for local law enforcement officials to better allow them to combat the flow of narcotics in Montana. I would appreciate your support in moving this legislation forward.”

Tester authored the ANTI Drugs Act following a roundtable discussion last December with Billings law enforcement. During the roundtable, Billings Police Chief Rich St. John told Tester that meth trafficking and use fuels many of the violent crimes that his police force responds to.

Tester introduced his bill alongside Chief St. John in Billings earlier this month.

“This bill is certainly welcome and exciting news for all law enforcement,” Chief St. John said. “We are very thankful for this support and we’ll continue on with the good work.”

Tester’s ANTI Drugs Act will reauthorize and increase funding three grant initiatives that are regularly utilized in Montana: High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Grants, Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Grants, and Operation Stonegarden Grants.

Meth violations increased by 427 percent in Montana between 2010 and 2015.

Tester discussed his ANTI Drugs Act with law enforcement officers in the Flathead Valley last week.

A summary of Tester’s ANTI Drugs Act is available HERE. Text of the bill is available HERE.

Tester’s letter to Sessions is available HERE.