Statement of Rep. Cass Ballenger (R-North Carolina), June 28, 2001

Statement of Rep. Cass Ballenger (R-North Carolina), June 28, 2001
Opening Remarks

Chairman Cass Ballenger

Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere

"A Review of the Andean Initiative"

June 28, 2001

The trafficking of illegal drugs and the other criminal activity that goes along with it are most serious threats to the national security of the United States. Unlike other foreign policy challenges, drugs and crime simultaneously target both our internal and external national interests. Illegal drugs and drug related crime subvert U.S. social and economic structures. We can see it in the eyes of our children who become hooked on drugs—and in the eyes of the victims of the crime that drug trafficking leaves in its wake..

If drugs can have such a devastating effect on the United States, think what they do to fragile democracies with struggling economies. I can’t think of one issue that is more important to the stability of our hemisphere than this. In order to maintain our own security and economic stability, the United States must be surrounded by stable democracies with strong economies.

Transnational crime poses a clear and present threat to our nation. Ideological conflict has been giving way to the pursuit of illicit profits from criminal activity. International criminal syndicates are becoming increasingly global. Illegal drug trafficking generates billions of dollars that finance black market arms trafficking, fueling violence and socially degrading criminal activity in Colombia and throughout the hemisphere.

The recent U.S. seizure of the Belize-flagged fishing vessel Svesda Maru, which was carrying 26,397 pounds of cocaine and a crew of eight Ukrainian and two Russian nationals believed by Latin American law enforcement authorities to be linked to the Russian mafia, is a real wake up call.

No nation is immune from transnational crime. The United States must be ready and willing to support those nations who will join us in opposing the drug trafficking that fuels transnational crime.

The situation in Colombia is as complex and dire as any I have ever known in all my years in Congress. I have said before that what happens in Colombia affects what happens here in our own home towns, not years down the road, but on a daily basis. Failing to help Colombia and the surrounding nations will no doubt put our own nation and citizens in jeopardy. It may seem as though the cost is great now, but I can assure you that the cost will be much higher if we don’t act now. Having recently returned from Colombia, my Committee colleague, Mr. Smith and I saw firsthand how important our assistance for Plan Colombia is to that beleaguered nation. From what I saw, there can be little doubt that Colombia is committed to Plan Colombia.

I am very pleased to learn that the Bush Administration is tackling this issue head-on by pursuing additional economic and counter-narcotics assistance, as well as the extension of trade preferences for Colombia and its regional neighbors. Renewal of the Andean Trade Preferences Act is critically important to our counter-narcotics strategy in the Andean region.

Our first witness today will be the Chairman Emeritus of the International Relations Committee, The Honorable Benjamin A. Gilman of New York. No Member of Congress has been more dedicated to the fight against drugs than Ben Gilman. We are honored to have him testify before this Subcommittee.

Today we also welcome Mr. James F. Mack, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, U.S. Department of State, and Mr. Michael Deal, Deputy Assistant Administrator of the Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, United States Agency for International Development. Both gentlemen will present testimony on the administration’s "Andean Regional Initiative".

The Andean Regional Initiative builds upon the resources already provided in support of Plan Colombia. As you know, U.S. support for Plan Colombia is a bipartisan policy developed by the Congress and the Clinton administration which enjoys continued support from the Bush administration. Although the actual plan is just beginning to be implemented, we have already had successes, and the policy is working. It has been estimated that since the end of December, roughly 45,820 hectares of coca have been sprayed. Together with Colombia we are also–and must continue to–redouble our efforts to completely eradicate the opium poppy that is entering the U.S. as very pure, highly addictive heroin.. It is going to take time, dedication and resolve, but by working together, we can implement a sustained strategy that will lead to final victory over the drug lords who peddle poison to our children.

Today we are holding this hearing to find out just how the Administration plans to administer this aid package to the Andean region. What are the primary goals? Who will be in charge? What are the roles and responsibilities of each agency involved? What are the timetables and benchmarks we can expect from this initiative? I believe that this initiative will permit the continued implementation of a comprehensive drug and crime control strategy. We look forward to hearing our distinguished witnesses’ thoughts and recommendations on how to best implement an efficient and effective means to fight this terrible problem.

As of June 29, 2001, this document was also available online at http://www.house.gov/international_relations/ball0628.htm