[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 21 (Thursday, March 5, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H883-H884]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1400
 INTRODUCTION OF RESOLUTION DISAPPROVING PRESIDENT'S CERTIFICATION OF 
              MEXICO AS COOPERATING FULLY IN WAR ON DRUGS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I come before the House this afternoon to ask 
for support and cosponsorship of House Joint Resolution 114. This is a 
resolution that has been introduced by myself and the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Shaw) that would decertify Mexico.
  Most people are not familiar with the certification process. The 
certification process is a good process that does certify through our 
State Department whether or not individual countries are making 
progress in ending drug production and illegal drug trafficking. That 
certification is made. Once it is made, a country becomes eligible for 
benefits of the United States Government, benefits such as foreign aid, 
financial assistance, trade benefits and military assistance. It is a 
simple law and it does work and it does put pressure on countries who 
want these benefits of the United States to take action to stop illegal 
drug trafficking and production.
  We do not believe that Mexico has made progress in stopping the wave 
of illegal drugs coming into this country. Unfortunately, last week the 
Clinton administration certified Mexico that they are making progress.
  I ask my colleagues, is this progress? Let me cite the facts about 
Mexico:
  Seventy percent of the hard drugs entering the United States come in 
through Mexico. That was the statistic provided to my national security 
subcommittee a year ago and it is the statistic today. A wave of 
heroin, a wave

[[Page H884]]

of cocaine, a wave of methamphetamines and illegal hard designer drugs 
are coming into this country and affecting our youth, our schools, our 
cities and our streets.
  Mexico has failed to extradite a single drug kingpin trafficker to 
the United States to stand trial.
  The facts are that Mexico has failed to adopt a maritime narcotics 
agreement with the United States.
  The facts are that the United States drug enforcement chief, the 
chief of our DEA, Tom Constantine recommended against certification of 
Mexico according to the Washington Post. Let me quote what he said in a 
confidential assessment by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It says 
that the country has had a continued impunity to arrest or to detain 
the country's biggest drug traffickers.
  Let me quote. During the past year, the analysis reads, the 
government of Mexico has not accomplished its counternarcotics goal or 
succeeded in cooperation with the United States Government. The level 
of drug corruption in Mexico continues unabated. This is from the 
director of our United States Drug Enforcement Agency.
  The Mexican government is involved in corruption from the street 
level to its highest offices and ministries.
  Mexico has refused to authorize United States law enforcement agents 
to carry weapons for their own protection.
  The scope of Mexican drug trafficking has increased significantly. 
This is not just my opinion, this is also the opinion of our Drug 
Enforcement Agency.
  Again heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine continue to enter the United 
States in unprecedented quantities.
  Let me tell my colleagues what this tidal wave of drugs is doing. We 
have 2 million Americans in prison. I am told that nearly 80 percent of 
those who are incarcerated in the jails and prisons of the United 
States are there because of their relationship to drugs, drug abuse or 
a drug-related crime. Heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine use by our 
youth has skyrocketed. We must decertify Mexico. I ask for Members' 
cosponsorship of this joint resolution.

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