Feeling pressure from their grass roots, Congress is pushing the Bush administration to do more about the nation's fastest-growing drug problem: methamphetamine.

Legislation already on the fast track focuses on punishment for meth makers and dealers, ways to stem the flow of the drug into the United States from Mexico and other countries, and stricter controls on cold remedies and other medicines containing chemicals used to make meth.

Meanwhile, Republicans and Democrats alike are outspoken about what they see as the administration's slow response.

"I don't believe the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy has gotten the message that a more comprehensive, coordinated effort is needed," said Rep. Mark Souder, R-Ind., chairman of the House drug-policy subcommittee.

Among other things, lawmakers criticize the administration's decision to end the $804 million Justice Assistance Program, which funds regional drug task forces.

"We want a federal ... strategy to attack meth that is equal to the urgency and action that's taking place in so many communities around the United States," said Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Lake Stevens, co-chairman of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine. "Congress is not convinced that that is happening."

Law-enforcement agencies have shut down small meth labs nationwide. But the number of busted labs — 9,797 seized last year by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), compared with 162 in 1995 — indicates the problem is growing.

Moreover, the crackdown is being undermined, officials say, by Mexican "super labs" able to produce at least 10 pounds of meth in 24 hours. Two-thirds of the meth used in the U.S. today comes from Mexico.

A recent report by The Oregonian newspaper in Portland found Mexico has been importing far more of the precursor chemicals used to make meth than would reasonably be used to manufacture medicines. Through theft or corruption, much of those chemicals end up in cartel-run meth labs.

On the street, the purity of the drug is increasing, law-enforcement officials report.

The problem isn't just Mexico. China, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Switzerland, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates produce large amounts of the chemicals — mainly ephedrine and pseudoephedrine — used to make meth, according to the DEA national drug threat assessment for 2005. The chemicals then are shipped to Mexico.

Mexican meth production and meth smuggling from Mexico have increased sharply in the past few years, the DEA reports.

Federal officials estimate there are 1.3 million regular meth users in the U.S. today. Although more individuals abuse marijuana, heroin and cocaine, high-grade meth can produce reactions that are more violent and effects that are more physiologically damaging, officials say.

Says Souder: Meth "has severe addiction consequences that we are still working through, the small labs have incredible environmental impacts, the labs tie up local drug-enforcement teams all out of proportion to the number of addicts, the related violence is greater, children are more in danger because of exploding labs and the abuse or serious neglect of parents, and it is an accelerating threat."

Many states now restrict the sale of over-the-counter medicines containing pseudoephedrine. This can include limits on how much someone can buy in a month and requirements that purchasers show photo identification.

The Senate has passed an appropriations bill that would move cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine behind pharmacy counters and limit how much a person can buy to 7.5 grams a month.

Legislation in the House would toughen criminal penalties for meth kingpins and manufacturers; prohibit unlimited sales of meth precursor chemicals; set import and manufacturing quotas on such chemicals; amend the international drug-certification process to require federal reporting on major exporting and importing countries of precursor chemicals; and order the State Department to work more closely with Mexico to crack down on producers and traffickers.

Administration officials defend their meth-fighting record. One operation in August netted 56 clandestine labs; more than 400 people were arrested.

"The Department of Justice is committed to using every available resource to ensure that our streets and neighborhoods are safe and that the methamphetamine problem is brought to an end," said Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

Some lawmakers remain skeptical. "We're concerned that the administration still doesn't get what we understand within our communities," Larsen said. "Frankly, local communities have done as much as they can, and now they need federal help."