Senate Journal: Page 173: Thursday, January 28, 1999

  Killpack acted without hesitation on our behalf, and today he and Ken are
  with us.
  These two gentlemen represent the daily Iowa heroes who are our peace
  officers.

  There is a specific crossroads where public health, public education and
  public
  safety meet.  And it is at that crossroads that we stand today.  We will
  NOT, simply
  because we happen to be in a convenient location in the heartland of
  America, be first
  in the nation in the creation and delivery of methamphetamine.  We WILL,
  however,
  make it one of our first priorities to eradicate this deadly threat.

  To protect our people we must strangle the meth lifeline by controlling both
  supply
  and demand. To protect our people we will seek life sentences for the
  manufacture or
  sale of meth to minors.  To protect our people we will hire more narcotics
  agents to
  increase interdiction efforts.  To protect our people we will hire
  additional lab
  technicians to help in the timely prosecution of cases, and to protect our
  people we will
  hire more state troopers, DCI agents and fire marshals to aid in safely
  closing down
  these meth labs.  At the same time, to help our people we will expand the
  number of
  drug courts.  To help our people we will provide additional resources for
  treatment to
  lengthen the time that Iowans addicted to this powerful drug can receive
  treatment
  and also expand treatment opportunities at Eldora.  And to educate our
  people we will
  support and create educational programs to prevent the use of meth before it
  starts.

  Now I do not want to leave this subject without speaking directly to those
  who
  manufacture and sell this drug. Here is my message: Do not come here.  Do
  not hurt
  our children.  We will find you.  We will prosecute you.  We will imprison
  you.  Our
  goal is to win this war against meth.  Let it be said in Iowa, we put our
  money where
  the safety of each of our citizens is.

  Let us today also invite the whole world to help make our state the Food
  Capital of
  the World.  Not just first in the nation, but first in the world.  It is
  part of our larger
  commitment to workforce development and economic development.

  This administration intends to make Iowa-grown, Iowa-raised and Iowa-made a
  brand name known throughout the world for quality. We need to promote high
  tech
  agricultural research which is why we support funding the Center of
  Excellence in
  Plant Science at Iowa State University.  We need to combine Iowa's strengths
  in
  agriculture and insurance and provide innovative products to protect Iowa's
  farmers
  that use advances in biotechnology.  We need to encourage the expansion of
  value-
  added opportunities in every region of this state.

  And at the same time, we will not abandon those Iowans whose economic
  fortunes
  have turned.  We have and will continue to strongly advocate at the federal
  level and
  state level to take immediate proactive steps to help livestock and grain
  producers in
  economic crisis.  We intend to stand together with those who farm the land,
  and
  together we will make Iowa the world's food capital.

  Further, we will expand the skilled workforce to help us face the needs of a
  new
  and dawning technology and millenium. We need to make Iowa more attractive
  to
  business and industry.  We need to strengthen our commitment to vocational
  and
  technical programs and school-to-career opportunities.  That is why we are
  establishing the Governor's 21st Century Workforce Council which will be
  chaired by
  Lieutenant Governor, Sally Pederson.  We need to identify work skill
  shortage areas.
  To start the process of increasing the skill levels of our people and to
  reduce shortages,

© 1999 Cornell College and League of Women Voters of Iowa

Comments about this site or page? sjourn@legis.iowa.gov.
Please remember that the person listed above does not vote on bills. Direct all comments concerning legislation to State Legislators.

Last update: Fri Jan 29 13:40:38 CST 1999
URL: /DOCS/GA/78GA/Session.1/SJournal/00100/00173.html
jhf