[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 14 (Thursday, February 1, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H1204-H1205]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        MEXICO MUST GET SERIOUS ABOUT STOPPING DRUG TRAFFICKING

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Miller] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, today I am proud to join my 
colleagues, Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alphonse D'Amato, by 
introducing bills to force Mexico to crack down on drug trafficking and 
money laundering operations as that country has pledged--but failed--to 
do.
  The bills would prohibit the extension next month of United States 
guarantees for multibillion dollar loans to Mexico, deny applications 
for entry of Mexican commercial vehicles into the United States under 
NAFTA, and express the sense of the House that Mexico has not 
cooperated in antinarcotics efforts, and therefore should not be 
certified under the Foreign Assistance Act.
  All of these measures would remain in effect until Mexico meets 
specified conditions proving it is taking steps to eradicate drug 
activities. Senators Feinstein and D'Amato introduced this legislation 
this week and I am introducing identical legislation here today. I 
applaud them for their initiative in this area.
  Last year, Congress approved President Clinton's request to guarantee 
$20 billion in loans to Mexico following an economic crisis there. The 
year before that we passed NAFTA, a free-trade agreement that gives 
Mexico special and unique access to America's markets. And now, next 
month, President Clinton will likely ask Congress to approve the 
extension of loan guarantees to Mexico for at least 6 months, and 
possibly longer.
  But the President will be unable in good faith to certify that Mexico 
has met its obligation to crack down on drug smuggling, money 
laundering, and government corruption as it has pledged to do.

  Mexico is one of the most significant source countries for the 
transport of narcotic and psyshotropic drugs into the United States. 
The Drug Enforcement Agency estimates that 75 percent of all cocaine 
available in the United States travels through Mexico, up to 80 percent 
of all foreign-grown marijuana in the United States originates in 
Mexico, and 90 percent of the chemical used to make the drug speed 
flows through Mexico before infecting our neighborhoods.
  But, Mexico is not only shipping drugs to the United States, it is 
also shipping its drug smugglers. Nearly 90 percent of drug smugglers 
arrested at the border are Mexican. Mexico is also a major 
transshipment point for Columbian drugs and drug money. And because it 
has no reporting requirements for large cash transactions, Mexico has 
become a haven for drug money laundering.
  To make matters worse, Mexico is also preventing the United States 
from enforcing our own drug laws. The United States has 165 extradition 
requests pending with Mexico. And despite our extradition treaty with 
that country, Mexico has never allowed the extradition of a single 
Mexican national, even though we are supposed to be close allies. In 
fact there are reports that leaders of drug cartels, known to the 
Mexican Government and its police, are frequently seen in public. 
Apparently they have no reason to be afraid: reports are rampant of 
widespread government corruption , extending possibly even to higher 
levels of power.
  Time and time again, the United States treats Mexico like a trusted 
ally and what we get in return is an increase in drugs flowing from 
Mexico to the United States poisoning our kids and making the American 
``War on Drugs'' ineffectual.
  Why should the American taxpayer support Mexico's Government or its 
economy when Mexico is undermining American antidrug laws? We should 
not.
  We should not extend multibillion-dollar loans to Mexico, provide 
foreign aid, or allow entry of their commercial vehicles without 
evidence that Mexico is taking concrete steps to eradicate drug 
activities. We have too much at stake--in America's schoolyards, 
workplaces, and homes--to tolerate this level of inaction on such an 
important issue.
  Again, I applaud Senators Feinstein and D'Amato for their initiative 
in this area and I encourage all my colleagues to join me in 
cosponsoring these three pieces of vital legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I submit the following for the Record:

   Sense of the Senate Resolution That Mexico Should Not Be Certified

       Expresses the sense of the Senate that the President should 
     not certify:
       (1) Mexican cooperation with international drug enforcement 
     efforts; or
       (2) that is it in the vital national interests of the U.S. 
     to give this aid notwithstanding Mexico's noncooperation.
       If the President does not make these certifications, the 
     result would be: a 50% reduction in U.S. aid to Mexico; and 
     the United States not supporting the provision of 
     multilateral development bank assistance by various 
     international bodies.
       The resolution sets out the basis for this recommendation:
       Mexico is one of the most significant source countries for 
     the transport of drugs into the United States.
       Mexico has failed to prevent or punish money laundering.
       The Drug Enforcement Administration estimates that at least 
     75 percent of all cocaine available in the United States 
     travels through Mexico.
       Various U.S. drug enforcement agencies estimate that 70 to 
     80 percent of all foreign-grown marijuana in the United 
     States originates in Mexico.
       According to U.S. Customs Service, 69.5 percent of those 
     arrested for drug smuggling at border stations in the United 
     States are Mexican Nationals.
       The Drug Enforcement Administration has stated that drug 
     smugglers have been flying airplanes carrying 10 to 20 tons 
     of cocaine at 

[[Page H1205]]
     a time into Mexico, which then return to Colombia with 20 to 30 million 
     dollars of U.S. currency.
                                                                    ____


     Feinstein Legislation on Mexican Trucking Companies and NAFTA

       On December 18, 1995, the Secretary of Transportation 
     indefinitely postponed the approval of applications from 
     Mexican trucking companies seeking cross-border access to 
     points in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.
       The legislation I have introduced would require three 
     things occur before pending applications can be approved:
       (1) The Secretary of Transportation must certify to 
     Congress that Mexican carriers are in compliance with U.S. 
     size, weight, insurance and hazardous materials requirements;
       (2) The President must certify to Congress that Mexico is 
     taking sufficient steps to combat international narcotics 
     trafficking pursuant to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 
     (22 U.S.C. 2291k(b)); and,
       (3) The Congress approves the application by passing a 
     prescribed joint resolution.
                                                                    ____


         Senator Feingstein's Mexico Loan Guarantee Legislation

       1. Unless the President of the U.S. certifies Mexico's 
     progress on drug enforcement issues, Mexico should not 
     receive the benefits of the loan guarantees. The 
     certification addresses the following:
       (1) Complies with all outstanding requests for extradition 
     by the United States.
       (2) Enacts and implements effective ``money laundering'' 
     laws.
       (3) Takes action to prevent Mexico's drug profiteers from 
     taking advantage of plans to ``privatize'' formerly public 
     assets, such as banks.
       (4) Enacts effective laws to inspect and license trucks, 
     cars and aircraft, as well as their owners and operators to 
     assist drug crime enforcement.
       (5)  Enacts effective laws to control the import of major 
     pre-cursor chemicals for methamphetamines and other 
     narcotics.
       (6) Takes specific action to effect the arrests of Mexican 
     drug cartel leaders or other individuals involved in 
     organized crime.
       (7) Adopts a comprehensive program for drug enforcement and 
     assists U.S. law enforcement to take effective action.
       (8) Implements a plan and takes specific action dedicated 
     to detecting and halting the large scale air transportation 
     of narcotics.
       (9) Take specific action to prosecute graft and corruption 
     among civilian government and military officials that assist 
     drug production/smuggling.
       (10) Allows for asset forfeiture of property derived 
     through fraud in connection with the loans or any illegal 
     activity, such as drug trafficking.
       2. Legislation would prohibit further disbursements from 
     the Treasury Department's Exchange Stabilization Fund (ESF).
       3. Legislation would require repayment of any short-term 
     swaps within 90 days and prohibit any new medium-term swaps 
     entirely.
       4. Legislation would prohibit the exercise of the six month 
     renewal option.

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