Press Release from Reps. Dan Burton (R-Indiana) and Mark Souder (R-Indiana), June 16, 2005

Media Advisory
Office of Congressman Dan Burton
Fifth District, Indiana
2185 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202)-225-2276
FAX (202)-225-0016

For immediate release
June 16, 2005

Chairmen Burton & Souder Praise House Committee Passage Of Illegal Drug Crop Reduction Legislation

Burton Provision in ONDCP Reauthorization Bill Allows Mycoherbicide Testing to Eradicate Drug Crops

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressmen Dan Burton (R-IN), Chairman of the House International Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, and Mark Souder (R-IN), Chairman of the House Government Reform Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy, and Human Resources, released the following statement today regarding the House Committee on Government Reform's passage of the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 2005 (ONDCP Act) by a unanimous voice vote.

"We spend millions of dollars every year on counter-narcotic efforts, including drug crop eradication and interdiction, especially in our joint efforts in Colombia, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, yet the flow of illegal and lethal narcotics continues to be a major problem in our country," stated Congressman Burton. "The advent of mycoherbicides and other counter-narcotic alternatives offers us the possibility to cut off the source of these drugs literally at their roots."

"If proven to be successful, mycoherbicide could revolutionize our drug eradication efforts," House Drug Policy Chairman Mark Souder said. "Mycoherbicide research needs to be investigated, and we need to begin testing it in the field. The potential benefit of these fungi is tremendous. My Hoosier colleague should be commended for advancing this initiative, and I'm pleased that his amendment was adopted into the bill."

Chairman Burton's provision, which was adopted in the manager's amendment, instructs the Director of the ONDCP to present Congress - within 90 days of the law's enactment - a plan of action to insure that an expedited, complete, and thorough peer review of the science of mycoherbicide as a means of illicit drug crop elimination is conducted by the appropriate government scientific research entity. The provision also calls for a plan of action to conduct controlled scientific testing of naturally existing mycoherbicide in a major drug producing nation.

Mycoherbicides are naturally occurring plant pathogenic fungi that are currently applied pre or post-emergence for the control of weeds. Scientists have recently begun to study the possibility of manipulating mycoherbicides to combat certain drug crops under specific conditions.

"I am very hopeful that with the proper scientific research and testing, mycoherbicides can be utilized as an effective tool to help eradicate poppy and coca fields around the world and ultimately reduce the flow of drugs coming into our country," concluded Chairman Burton.

"I am also hopeful that the strong bipartisan support that this provision enjoyed in the Committee on Government Reform will carry over when the bill is brought to a vote on the House floor. To that end, I look forward to working with Speaker Hastert and Chairman Hyde, as well as Congressmen Souder, and Rohrabacher, as we continue to wage the war on drugs."

To learn more about the ONDCP Act, please go to www.loc.thomas.gov.

For more information regarding Chairman Burton's current drug trafficking legislative and investigative initiatives, please visit his Subcommittee's website at http://wwwc.house.gov/international_relations/whhear.htm.

CONTACT: (Burton) Nick Mutton - 202.225.2276 (Souder) Martin Green - 202.225.4436