Speech by Rep.
Dan Burton (R-Indiana), June 9, 2006
(Mr. BURTON
of Indiana asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman for
yielding.
I cannot understand why anybody would want to start cutting funding
to Colombia for the war against terror. It would be a terrible mistake
to do that right now. President Uribe was just reelected. He is doing
everything possible to stop the drug cartels from sending drugs to the
United States and other parts of the world. After just being reelected
and meeting with many of us in Costa Rica a few weeks ago, for us to
start cutting funding when they need more resources to fight the war
against drugs is absolutely insane, in my opinion.
The Speaker of the House is very aware of this issue. He just worked
with me to get three additional platform aircraft to police the drugs
coming through the Caribbean. If we didn't have those resources, the
drug cartels would have a free rein to go through the Caribbean. We
need additional helicopters and there is additional money in there for
that. And for us to start cutting that right now would give the drug
cartels all kinds of reasons to invest more money to start expanding
the drug operation down there.
In addition, let me say that we have talked about these 11 policemen
who were murdered by the Colombian military. I am confident, and I have
talked to President Uribe about this, they are going to investigate
this thoroughly. And if there are military personnel that actually did
the killing, and we believe that is the case, they will be brought to
justice. And no money, none of this money is going to go to any military
unit that is involved in any activity like this.
So the bottom line is it is extremely important if we believe in keeping
drugs off the streets of America that this fight continue. And to start
cutting back dramatically and sending this money someplace else because
of budgetary constraints is the wrong thing to do.
Visitors from across this country will tell you the number one issue
facing this country is the drug problem, and the drugs which are killing
our kids and ruining their lives.
This is a very important issue, and it must not take a back seat to
any other issue. We must make sure that the resources to continue the
war against drugs are given to the people that need it. Colombia is
in the forefront, and President Uribe has done an outstanding job, and
he needs all of the help he can get and we need to give it to him.
[Begin Insert]
I rise in very strong opposition to the proposed cut in narco-terrorism
fighting assistance to our good friend and ally Colombia, especially
so, at this critical point in the global war on terror.
While the amendment's author wants to talk about more and more coca,
he doesn't want to talk about the more than a half dozen helicopters
the Committee has wisely provided the new means for the world renowned
Colombian National Police (CNP) anti-drug unit to use to take on the
increased coca we have now discovered. The committee also wisely freed
up at least 10 more helicopters to be used by the Colombian Army for
drug interdiction and additional eradication to take on the new coca
challenge as well. That is a total of 16 more helicopters for the drug
fight.
We found the coca in more remote areas of Colombia where the narco-terrorists
flee our joint aerial eradication. This new helicopter allocation will
permit us to go after that new crop. They may well soon run out of places
to hide if we do our job right. We cannot cut and run now.
In addition, I note also little reference by the gentleman from Massachusetts
to opium and heroin and the progress and lives saved from our eradication
and other efforts against that even more deadly and addictive drug (14
percent more addictive) from nearby Colombia. Until we went after the
heroin at the source in Colombia, South American heroin was spreading
rapidly across America from New York, Baltimore, Boston and other areas
on the East Coast, on into places like Chicago in the Midwest, and further
west.
There was a major breakup in December 2005 of a Colombian heroin ring
in the Boston, Lawrence, Lynn, and Everett Massachusetts area by our
DEA and local police with the cooperation of the Colombian National
Police (CNP), who benefit from Plan Colombia aid. We cannot and ought
not end those law enforcement efforts as well in places like the Boston
area.
Prices have risen by 30 percent and purity has fallen 22 percent from
2003 to 2004 in the once deadly heroin from Colombia according to ONDCP
data released this past November.
Young lives have been saved and many overdoses avoided here because
of our eradication and other Plan Colombia efforts against South American
heroin.
Unlike cocaine, which you can interdict in the multiton loads, heroin
comes in concealed, one deadly kilo at a time in shoes, cloths, or baggage,
and is nearly impossible to interdict after it leaves Colombia. Either
spray it, or you will find it on the streets and communities of America
taking lives and creating havoc. We have done this with South American
heroin. The critics are silent on that part of Plan Colombia and the
success we have witnessed.
``Just say no'' to this ill-advised and unproductive cut in aid for
Colombia, a key strategic partner in the global war on terrorism in
our own backyard and around the globe, including in Afghanistan where
the Colombian National Police will soon be helping train the Afghan
anti-drug units.
We owe them, and our kids as well, a Stay-the-Course Approach. Vote
``no.''
[End Insert]
As of June
13, 2006 this page was also available at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/R?r109:FLD001:H53648
