[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 29 (Wednesday, March 6, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E291]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            NARCOTICS TRADE

                                 ______


                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 6, 1996

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my good friends and 
colleagues, Mr. Shaw of Florida and Mr. Hamilton of Indiana, in 
announcing this new and tougher approach in the battle against the 
international narcotics trade. Our bill, further linking foreign trade 
to the deadly narcotics business from abroad, is long overdue.
  Vice President Gore said not long ago that the annual cost to our 
society here at home from drug abuse is a staggering $67 billion each 
and every year. Most of those drugs come from abroad. While the Vice 
President's estimate is very low in my opinion, it makes amply clear 
the seriousness of the threat that illicit drugs from abroad pose for 
our society here at home. For example, the FBI Director attributes 
about 90 percent of our crime to drugs.
  No nation can and should tolerate such destruction coming from 
abroad, and not take drastic and dramatic action. If we were to add 
this $67 billion annual cost from drug abuse to any yearly trade 
picture with the major drug producing or transit nations--who want easy 
access to our markets--we would see an overwhelming and staggering U.S. 
trade deficit each and every year with these same nations.
  The American people know something must be done. Just recently, a 
survey of public opinion on U.S. foreign policy indicated that 85 
percent of the U.S. public believes stopping the flow of illegal drugs 
to our Nation is the most important foreign policy issue, topping even 
the concern for protecting U.S. jobs. Our bill responds to that 
justifiable public concern of the American people.
  Mr. Shaw's bill, which I am pleased to be an original cosponsor of, 
will require the imposition of trade sanctions on countries failing to 
cooperate fully with U.S. efforts against the production and sale of 
narcotics as evidenced by 2 consecutive years of decertification.
  Under our bill, on the recommendation of the U.S. Trade 
Representative and the Secretary of State, one or more of these trade 
sanctions must and should be applied. This will provide the 
administration with yet another vital weapon against the flow of deadly 
drugs into our Nation.
  I want to compliment Mr. Shaw and Mr. Hamilton for their leadership 
in this effort. We are and will continue to be very serious about 
drugs, and the American people's deep concerns, as this effort being 
announced today clearly reflects.

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