Amendment to the 2004 Foreign Relations Authorization Act introduced by Majority Leader Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tennessee), July 10, 2003

Amendment to the 2004 Foreign Relations Authorization Act introduced by Majority Leader Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tennessee), July 10, 2003

AMENDMENT NO. 1194

(Purpose: To commend the leadership and people of Colombia on the third anniversary of Plan Colombia)
On page 242, between lines 12 and 13, insert the following:

SEC. 2522. COMMENDATION OF THE LEADERSHIP AND PEOPLE OF COLOMBIA ON THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF PLAN COLOMBIA.

(a) FINDINGS.--Congress makes the following findings:

(1) July 13, 2003, marks the third anniversary of the enactment of legislation providing initial United States assistance for the Plan Colombia initiative. Since then, the United States has provided over $3 billion in support of Plan Columbia.

(2) During this period, the Government of Colombia, with United States support, has made progress in the eradication and seizure of illegal drugs.

(3) According to reports--

(A) the total area of coca cultivation in Colombia has declined 59.9 percent from 163,289 hectares in 2000 to 102,071 at the end of 2002, with a further additional 65,000 hectares to be sprayed with herbicides in 2003;

(B) 3,300 hectares of poppy crop have been sprayed with herbicides in 2002, and an additional 1,658 hectares to be sprayed in 2003; and

(C) between January 2002 and May 2003, 100 tons of pure cocaine and 850 kilos of heroin have been seized, with a street value of approximately $3,000,000,000.

(4) The armed forces of Colombia have 60 percent more combat-ready troops than in 1999, including three United States-trained counterdrug brigades and five riverine brigades.

(5) The armed forces of Colombia are taking steps against the drug traffickers and terrorists in Colombia, as demonstrated by the capture, as of July 2003, of some 3,553 guerrillas and 1,336 members of paramilitaries and the surrender of an additional 1,138 members of illegal groups, the destruction of more than 1,000 coca laboratories, the confiscation of solid and liquid chemicals used for manufacturing cocaine, and the seizure of weapons from guerrillas and drug traffickers.
(6) In the past several years, the Government of Colombia has extradited 78 persons to the United States to face trial on narcotics and terrorism charges.

(7) The Government of Colombia is working to establish law and order in Colombia--

(A) homicides have reportedly declined in Colombia during the first months of 2003, as compared to the same period in 2002; and

(B) kidnappings have reportedly declined during the first months of 2003, as compared to the same period in 2002.

(8) The Government of Colombia is training and equipping during 2003, thousands of new police officers who will be stationed in hundreds of rural towns where there is little or no police presence.

(9) The Government of Colombia plans to increase defense spending from 3.5 percent of its gross domestic product in 2002 to 5.8 percent of its gross domestic product by 2006, and to enlarge its armed forces by 126,000 troops.

(10) It is in the national interests of the United States to continue to support the efforts of President Alvaro Uribe Velez of Colombia, and the Government and people of Colombia, to stop narcotics trafficking, end terrorism, strengthen democracy, and protect human rights.

(b) COMMENDATION.--The Senate--

(1) commends President Alvaro Uribe Velez of Colombia and the Government and the people of Colombia on the third anniversary of Plan Colombia and for their efforts in fighting illegal drugs and terrorism; and

(2) supports and encourages the efforts of President Uribe and the Government and people of Colombia to preserve and strengthen democracy, protect human rights, and provide economic opportunity in Colombia.