[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 38 (Monday, March 30, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H1713-H1720]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 URGING THE PRESIDENT TO PROVIDE HELICOPTERS TO THE COLOMBIAN NATIONAL 
                                 POLICE

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H.Res. 398) urging the President to expeditiously procure 
and provide three UH-60L Blackhawk utility helicopters to the Colombian 
National Police solely for the purpose of assisting the Colombian 
National Police to perform their responsibilities to reduce and 
eliminate the production of illicit drugs in Colombia and the 
trafficking of such illicit drugs, including the trafficking of drugs 
such as heroin and cocaine to the United States, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 398

       Whereas Colombia is the leading illicit drug producing 
     country in the Western Hemisphere;
       Whereas 80 percent of the world's cocaine originates in 
     Colombia;
       Whereas based on the most recent data of the Drug 
     Enforcement Administration (DEA), more than 60 percent of the 
     heroin seized in the United States originates in Colombia;
       Whereas the Colombian National Police is led by the 
     legendary and incorruptible Director General Jose Serrano, 
     who has dedicated his life to fighting drugs;
       Whereas the elite anti-narcotics unit of the Colombian 
     National Police (``DANTI''), under the direction of Colonel 
     Leonardo Gallego, is one of the best and most effective anti-
     narcotics police forces in the region and the world;
       Whereas in the last 10 years more than 4,000 officers of 
     the Colombian National Police have died fighting the scourge 
     of drugs;
       Whereas in one recent year alone, according to data of the 
     United States Government, the United States had 141,000 new 
     heroin users and the United States faces historic levels of 
     heroin use among teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17;
       Whereas once Colombian heroin is in the stream of commerce 
     it is nearly impossible to interdict because it is concealed 
     and trafficked in very small quantities;
       Whereas heroin does not require the traditional large 
     quantities of precursor chemicals and large laboratories to 
     produce and therefore there are fewer opportunities to 
     disrupt its production and distribution;
       Whereas the best and most cost efficient method of 
     preventing Colombian heroin from entering the United States 
     is to destroy the opium poppies in the high Andes mountains 
     where Colombian heroin is produced;
       Whereas the elite anti-narcotics unit of the Colombian 
     National Police has the responsibility to eradicate both coca 
     and opium in Colombia, including the reduction and 
     elimination of cocaine and heroin production, and they have 
     done a remarkably effective job with the limited and outdated 
     equipment at their disposal;
       Whereas more than 40 percent of the anti-narcotics 
     operations of the Colombian National Police involve hostile 
     ground fire from narco-terrorists and 90 percent of such 
     operations involve the use of helicopters;
       Whereas the need for better high performance helicopters by 
     the Colombian National Police, especially for use in the high 
     Andes mountains, is essential for more effective eradication 
     of opium in Colombia;
       Whereas on December 23, 1997, one of the antiquated 
     Vietnam-era UH-1H Huey helicopters used by the Colombian 
     National Police in an opium eradication mission crashed in 
     the high Andes mountains due to high winds and because it was 
     flying above the safety level recommended by the original 
     manufacturer;
       Whereas in the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and 
     Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1998 (Public Law 105-
     118), amounts were appropriated for the procurement by the 
     United States for the Colombian National Police of three UH-
     60L Blackhawk utility helicopters that can operate safely and 
     more effectively at the high altitudes of the Andes mountains 
     where Colombian opium grows at altitudes as high as 12,000 
     feet;
       Whereas the Blackhawk helicopter is a high performance 
     utility helicopter that can perform at the high altitudes of 
     the Andes mountains, as well as survive crashes and sustain 
     ground fire, much better than any other utility helicopter 
     now available to the Colombian National Police in the war on 
     drugs;
       Whereas because the Vietnam-era Huey helicopters that the 
     United States has provided the Colombian National Police are 
     outdated and have been developing numerous stress cracks, a 
     sufficient number should be upgraded to Huey IIs, and the 
     remainder should be phased-out as soon as possible;
       Whereas these Huey helicopters are much older than most of 
     the pilots who fly them, do not have the range due to limited 
     fuel capacity to reach many of the expanding locations of the 
     coca fields or cocaine labs in southern Colombia, nor do they 
     have the lift capacity to carry enough armed officers to 
     reach and secure the opium fields in the high Andes mountains 
     prior to eradication;
       Whereas the elite anti-narcotics unit of the Colombian 
     National Police has a stellar record in promoting respect for 
     human rights and has received the seal of approval of a 
     leading international human rights group in their operations 
     to reduce and eradicate illicit drugs in Colombia;
       Whereas the Congress also would support assistance to the 
     Colombian military if the military demonstrates the will to 
     fight effectively while respecting civilian non-combatants in 
     the same way the anti-narcotics unit of the Colombian 
     National Police has;
       Whereas the narco-terrorists of Colombia have announced 
     that they will now target United States citizens, 
     particularly those United States citizens working with their 
     Colombian counterparts in the fight against illicit drugs in 
     Colombia;
       Whereas a leading commander of the Revolutionary Armed 
     Forces of Colombia (``FARC'') announced recently that the 
     objective of these narco-terrorists, in light of recent 
     successes, will be ``to defeat the Americans'';
       Whereas United States Government personnel in Colombia 
     occasionally fly in these helicopters with the Colombian 
     National Police on their missions are now at even greater 
     risk from these narco-terrorists and their drug trafficking 
     allies;
       Whereas in the last six months four anti-narcotics 
     helicopters of the Colombian National Police have been downed 
     in operations;
       Whereas the Congress intends to provide the necessary 
     support and assistance to wage an effective war on illicit 
     drugs in Colombia and provide the equipment and assistance 
     needed to protect all of the men and women of the Colombian 
     National Police as well as those Americans who work side by 
     side with the Colombian National Police in this common 
     struggle against illicit drugs; and
       Whereas the Administration, in a letter to the Miami Herald 
     from the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) 
     concerning the issue of anti-narcotics assistance to 
     Colombia, stated that the strategy of the ``source country'', 
     such as the strategy of Colombia, is the best and most 
     effective methods to fight the war on illicit drugs:
       Whereas the new Government of Bolivia has made a commitment 
     to eradicate coca/cocaine production in that country within 5 
     years;
       Whereas the United States should support any country that 
     is interested in removing the scourge of drugs from its 
     citizens;

[[Page H1714]]

       Whereas Bolivia has succeeded in reducing acreage used to 
     produce coca, which is the basis for cocaine production; and
       Whereas United States assistance has been a crucial element 
     of this success: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That--
       (1) the House of Representatives urges the President to 
     expeditiously procure and provide to the Colombian National 
     Police three UH-60L Blackhawk utility helicopters solely for 
     the purpose of assisting the Colombian National Police to 
     perform their responsibilities to reduce and eliminate the 
     production of illicit drugs in Colombia and the trafficking 
     of such illicit drugs, including the trafficking of drugs 
     such as heroin and cocaine to the United States; and
       (2) if the President determines that the procurement and 
     transfer to the Colombian National Police of three UH-60L 
     Blackhawk utility helicopters is not an adequate number of 
     such helicopters to maintain operational feasibility and 
     effectiveness of the Colombian National Police, then the 
     President should promptly inform the Congress as to the 
     appropriate number of additional UH-60L Blackhawk utility 
     helicopters for the Colombian National Police so that amounts 
     can be authorized for the procurement and transfer of such 
     additional helicopters; and
       (3) the House of Representatives supports maintaining 
     assistance for Bolivia at least at the level assumed in the 
     fiscal year 1998 budget submission of the President and 
     directs the Administration to act accordingly.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Gilman) and the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. 
Faleomavaega) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman).
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)


                             General Leave

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on House Resolution 398.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, late last week the Committee on 
International Relations passed House Resolution 398, a resolution in 
support of providing high-tech helicopters to assist the Colombian 
National Police in their fight against the drug traffickers in 
Colombia.
  Colombia is a key drug source nation in our Western Hemisphere. 
Eighty percent of the world's cocaine originates there. More than 60 
percent of the heroin seized in the United States originates there, as 
well. The Vice President has estimated that illicit drugs have been 
costing American society some $67 billion annually.
  Experts agree that stopping the flow of drugs at their source is the 
best and most effective way to combat this program. Stopping drugs 
before they reach our shores should be a top foreign policy priority of 
our Nation. It is what our American people want us to do.
  The struggle to change administration policy to permit more anti-
narcotic aid to Colombia ended in February of this year, when President 
Clinton certified Colombia in the vital national interest of our 
Nation. We now have an opportunity to begin a new chapter in U.S.-
Colombia relations in our fight against illicit drugs and the narco-
guerrillas. Let us hope that the administration's latest action on 
certification is not too little, too late.
  General Charles Wilhelm, the head of our U.S. Southern Command, 
notified Congress 2 weeks ago that Colombia is a nation at grave risk. 
I believe Wilhelm stated that the drug crisis there poses a serious 
regional threat to Panama, to Ecuador, to Venezuela, and to its 
southern neighbors as the tentacles of narco-guerrilla activity spreads 
to those countries.
  The guerrillas' monthly income from drugs exceed the entire annual 
budget of the nation's Drug Control Program and is more than the U.S. 
annual aid to Colombia. We must take this drug problem seriously. The 
Colombian National Police need these high-performance utility 
helicopters. Ninety percent of their anti-drug missions involve 
choppers that have been taking hostile fire 40 percent of the time.
  This resolution calls for the administration to deliver those Black 
Hawks which we promised in the foreign operations appropriations bill 
that was signed into law nearly 6 months ago.
  A few days ago the Colombian National Police suffered a severe loss 
that cost the lives of four officers because they did not have a Black 
Hawk helicopter. On a mission to destroy a cocaine lab, a police Huey 
helicopter was damaged and forced to land. Four men were left to guard 
that helicopter until a crew of mechanics could return the next morning 
to repair the damage. When the repair unit returned the next morning, 
they found one officer slain and the other missing.
  Had a Black Hawk helicopter been available the day before, it would 
have been able to lift out that stricken Huey, saving both it and the 
lives of those brave officers who are now among the missing.
  In addition, we are now informed that four Americans taken hostage 
last week by the narco-guerrillas are being held at an altitude of 
12,000 feet in the Andes. The Colombian National Police need these 
Black Hawks in order to reach those altitudes and to get enough armed 
officers to rescue our fellow citizens.
  This legislation also takes note of the important efforts being made 
by the government of Bolivia. The Department of State has been trying 
to play Bolivia and Colombia off against one another. This is an 
improper choice. There are ample funds available to aid both of those 
countries, which are helping us in the struggle against drugs.
  This may require the administration to reprogram funds from other 
recipients; and, in passing this resolution, the House is calling upon 
the administration to provide sufficient funds for both Colombia and 
Bolivia to address the ongoing crisis by reprogramming funds needed 
from another source.
  I want to take this opportunity to express my thanks to the Speaker 
for his permanent support in providing the kind of help that is needed 
for our allies in the Colombian National Police. His support is most 
important and most meaningful, and so it is duly noted by the 
Department of State.
  I include for the Record the U.S. Army's grounding notice on U.S. 
Hueys, as well as a letter from Col. Gallego of the CMP'S anti-drug 
unit to the gentleman from Indiana (Chairman Burton) on the critical 
need for these Black Hawk helicopters.
  The material referred to is as follows:

            Subject: Grounding of the UH-1 Helicopter Fleet

       1. Purpose: To provide information on the Army's decision 
     to ground its UH-1 Helicopter fleet.
       2. Facts.
       a. Since November 1997, the Army has placed flight 
     restrictions on UH-1 helicopters in response to a trend of 
     spur gear failures in the aircraft's T-53 engines caused by 
     vibration.
       b. After careful consideration and as a prudent measure of 
     safety, the Army is grounding its fleet of UH-1 helicopters 
     until each helicopter engine can be tested to determine if 
     the vibration is present. Those aircraft with engines that 
     are experiencing the vibration will remain grounded until new 
     carrier assemblies and spur gears can be installed. Engines 
     that are not experiencing vibration will be temporarily 
     returned to flight with restrictions imposed by the current 
     safety of flight message, until a new improved coated spur 
     gear can be procured and installed in the engines. Once the 
     improved spur gears are installed and tested in the engines 
     that do not exhibit the vibration, those aircraft will be 
     returned to full service without flight restrictions. The 
     Army is making every effort necessary to ensure that 
     essential missions continue.
       c. The Army's UH-1 fleet currently consists of 907 
     aircraft, 284 are in the active Army and 623 are in the Army 
     National Guard. The Army National Guard leadership has been 
     an integral part in the decision process to ground the UH-1 
     fleet. Although the majority of the UH-1s belong to the Army 
     National Guard, they have more than 400 UH-60 Blackhawks in 
     37 states which will help alleviate the operational impact 
     until the UH-1 fleet is ungrounded.
       d. A ``Blue Team'' was formed at the US Army Aviation and 
     Missile Command to address the engine problem. The team 
     includes members from the Army and Allied Signal, the engine 
     manufacturer. The team is dedicated to identifying and 
     isolating the root cause of the failures and to developing 
     and implementing a corrective action plan to lift the 
     aircraft flight restrictions as soon as possible.
       e. The team has conducted 25 engines tests at the Allied 
     Signal facility in Arizona to isolate the root cause or cause 
     of this vibration. Based on analysis of these extensive 
     tests, the team has found that an engine vibration causes the 
     spur gear failures. It has been determined that the gear 
     fractures are due to high cycle fatigue as the result of 
     excessive vibratory stresses that appear to occur when the 
     engine power turbine operates close to 98% N2 speed. These 
     stresses cause the spur gear to fracture.

[[Page H1715]]

       f. The long-term solution is to redesign the gear and the 
     N2 Carrier Drive Assembly so that it operates at acceptable 
     stress levels. This solution also incorporates additional 
     features that will improve reliability/durability of the 
     assembly. Over the next 2-3 months development and testing 
     will be underway to verify the corrective action. When the 
     corrective action is verified, we can immediately begin 
     fielding of the improved parts. The lead-time for corrective 
     implementation to begin is driven by 6-month lead-time to 
     design and manufacture new N2 Carrier housings. Installation 
     of the new carrier assembly is scheduled to begin in October 
     of 1998 and will take 18-24 months to complete fleet-wide 
     implementation.
       g. An interim approach has been recommended involving spray 
     coating of the spur gear to attenuate the stresses to lower 
     levels. In conjunction, engines on all aircraft will be 
     screened for the root cause vibration using vibration 
     analyzers. Pending successful results from the fatigue life 
     test on the spur gears and engine screening procedures, 
     fielding of the interim fix should be underway by late May 
     1998. These interim measures will be accomplished with a 
     modification to the Aviation Vibration Analyzer currently 
     fielded in the Army. A scheduled buy of new-coated spur gears 
     will be executed. Delivery of the first 40 gears is scheduled 
     in mid-May with the balance to be delivered in mid-July.


                                      Santa Fe de Bogota, D.C.

                                                      March, 1998.
     Hon. Dan Burton, Chairman,
     Government Reform and Oversight Committee,
     U.S. Congress, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Burton: I wanted to thank you for your 
     comments at the International Relations hearing last month. I 
     appreciate your courage and dedication to the men and women 
     of the Colombian National Police.
       I want to reemphasize a point from my testimony in front of 
     the International Relations Committee last month. Since that 
     time Colombia has seen a horrible increase in violence by the 
     narco-terrorists. Hundreds of government troops have been 
     killed in attacks by the FARC. This new activity by the FARC 
     validates my testimony that the Colombian National Police 
     need at least six Blackhawk helicopters to operate anti-
     narcotics missions in the poppy growing region in the high 
     altitudes of the Andes Mountains.
       Congressman, my men need these Blackhawks to reach these 
     high altitudes. If we are to have a reasonable chance of 
     eradicating the opium poppy, the Blackhawk is essential to 
     accomplishing this mission.
       Thank you again for all of your efforts.
           Sincerely,
                                 Jose Leonardo Gallego Castrillon,
                                        Colombian National Police.

  Mr. Speaker, I will quote from the article in the Washington Times, 
which reported that ``The military has grounded Huey helicopters as of 
today.''
  The report goes on to say, ``The U.S. Army and the National Guard 
have grounded their fleets of UH-1 Huey helicopters, which have an 
unexplained history of potentially catastrophic mechanical problems.'' 
These are the same helicopters we provided to the Colombian police to 
help them fight the narcotics.
  The report goes on to state, ``In all, 907 Huey helicopters are 
expected to be grounded between 6 months and 2 years. The majority of 
those are used by the National Guard.
  ``Gearbox problems in the Hueys were blamed for some near disasters 
last year. Pilots reported the engines would speed up while gauges 
dropped to zero.
  ``The Army still has not found out the cause. According to an 
internal review, 22 `mishaps' related to the gearbox were reported in 
the last 2 years. None resulted in death.''
  These were, again I underscore, the very same Hueys we have provided 
to the Colombian police and are being used today in Colombia to try to 
fight their drug war. Leaders such as General Serrano and Colonel 
Gallego deserve the support of our Nation in the struggle against 
drugs. They deserve the support with proper equipment.
  Accordingly, I ask my colleagues to support this resolution to 
provide the kind of help that the dedicated police in Colombia deserve 
and need as they fight our fight, as well as theirs.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the gentleman from 
New York (Mr. Gilman), chairman of the Committee on International 
Relations, for raising the important matter of the United States' 
support for Colombia in the war against narcotics production in that 
country.
  Mr. Speaker, however, I, along with the ranking Democratic leader of 
the Committee on International Relations, the gentleman from Indiana 
(Mr. Hamilton), must reluctantly oppose the measure, House Resolution 
398 before us, because there are, I believe, better alternatives to aid 
the Colombian government in their drug-fighting efforts than by sending 
three Blackhawk utility helicopters.

                              {time}  1500

  Mr. Speaker, the United States is facing a narcotics epidemic of 
troubling dimension, especially with heroin addiction. Recent 
government estimates project that we add over 141,000 new users of 
heroin a year. With the use of heroin by America's teenagers at 
historic levels, I find it particularly tragic that many of these new 
addicts are only children, some as young as 12 years of age now.
  According to the Drug Enforcement Agency, the vast majority of heroin 
in the U.S. comes from Colombia, which produces over 80 percent of the 
world's supply of cocaine as well.
  Mr. Speaker, the most effective way I believe to stop this flow of 
narcotics is to destroy the growing fields of opium poppy and coca 
plants at its sources in Colombia's Andes Mountains using helicopters. 
To that effect, I applaud the courageous efforts of the Colombian 
national police and its Director General, Jose Serrano, in waging the 
ground war of crop eradication against narcoterrorists. The war has 
taken a high toll, with over 4,000 Colombian police officers having 
sacrificed their lives.
  Mr. Speaker, I think we all agree that the United States needs to 
support the Colombian national police in their drug fighting efforts, 
which rely heavily on helicopters for field operations. However, I 
believe it is clearly more cost-effective to upgrade the present fleet 
of 36 Huey helicopters used by the Colombian national police rather 
than to provide three new Blackhawk helicopters.
  The Blackhawks provided in the past to the Colombian Army have proven 
to be a financial strain for their government to maintain and even to 
operate. Furthermore, the Colombian national police does not have 
pilots and mechanics trained to operate these Blackhawks.
  Another important consideration, Mr. Speaker, is that the funds to 
purchase these Blackhawks, approximately $36 million, may well 
jeopardize our important counternarcotics programs in the countries of 
Peru and perhaps even Bolivia.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge our colleagues to oppose House Resolution 398. 
There are, I believe, better ways to provide assistance to the Republic 
of Colombia, and I sincerely hope that our colleagues will support us 
in this effort.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson), a senior member of our committee.
  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, I think all of us are frustrated in 
trying to deal with the drug epidemic. There is no question that there 
are multiple approaches that we should be involved in. Clearly trying 
to reduce demand is as important an effort as any trying to deal with 
the addiction issues of American citizens.
  But when we look at these other nations and the cost in human lives 
where their police, government officials, judicial officials have been 
assassinated, murdered, victims of bombs and other assaults, and to say 
that they need to be the front line of this battle against these drug 
cartels which are in reality small armies, and to tell them as we have 
grounded the helicopters they have in this country, that we will not 
allow them to have the technology necessary to confront what is a 
serious threat to their national security and to the lives of many 
children and adults in this country, I just think is unacceptable.
  Mr. Speaker, I think many of my colleagues are correct, we ought to 
be doing more. We ought to be doing other things as well. But to tell 
countries whose military and police personnel have died in large 
numbers in a battle that we have a hard time imagining, because of the 
economic attraction to a very large degree of the profits that come out 
of the American market, to

[[Page H1716]]

turn around and say that we are not going to sell them, we are not 
going to allow them to have the very best technology to confront these 
military drug units, and they are of military capability, a helicopter 
that recently was downed in the jungle, the police were killed by the 
drug lords. The equipment was devastated.
  I understand people's concerns, but let me tell my colleagues 
something. We have sold and given helicopters to countries that had a 
lot less serious threat than what the Colombians are facing and we have 
given things more powerful than helicopters to countries that are a lot 
less stable and have been a lot less cooperative than they have.
  This is something that I think, if we are going to continue to have 
credibility when someone who wants to join us in the fight against 
drugs says this is what we need, then it seems to me the United States 
Government ought to make sure they have at least the basic tools to 
confront the drug cartel. Without these helicopters, the Colombians are 
going to be at a military disadvantage, and I do not think that is what 
anybody in this Chamber wants.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I yield to the gentleman from New York.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I thank the gentleman from 
Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson) for his supportive arguments.
  Mr. Speaker, I think the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. 
Faleomavaega) stated there must be a better way of doing this than just 
providing Hueys. But I ask the gentleman to note this article that I 
noted that was in the Washington Times today, that said the military 
has grounded our Huey helicopters. We are put in a position where we 
are trying to help them fight a battle, we have given them secondhand, 
Vietnam-era Huey helicopters that our own Nation now has grounded for 
at least 6 months to 2 years while they are trying to find out what is 
wrong with them. It would seem to me that in that kind of a situation, 
that we could provide the kind of equipment that is truly needed to 
fight a war.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I fully appreciate 
the gentleman's position on this issue, but it is my understanding that 
it is the intention of the administration to do an upgrading and make 
sure that these Huey helicopters will be in performance.
  Now, we do have problems with the Hueys. There is no question about 
that. But we also have problems with the Blackhawk helicopters. We do 
not even have properly trained Colombian officers even to operate and 
to maintain the Blackhawk helicopters, even if we should give them 
three of them.
  While I can appreciate the concerns of the gentleman from New York 
here, our concern is that they already know how to operate these Hueys. 
We do have maintenance problems with them, but it is our hope that the 
administration will fulfill their commitment to make sure that we not 
only provide proper maintenance, because in fact these Huey helicopters 
can be operated and piloted by Colombian officers, that is the concern 
that we have.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman would continue to yield, I 
have been informed that the Huey IIs do not survive the kind of 
fighting that is taking place. And they cannot take the kind of shoot-
downs that they have been involved with.
  Blackhawk helicopters have trained mechanics and have now hired some 
trained pilots to utilize them. This is something that is needed now, 
not to wait 6 months to a year or 2 years until our own military has 
found out what is wrong with the Huey helicopters.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, again reclaiming my time, I would say 
with utmost respect to the gentleman from New York, our chairman and my 
good friend, I think the problem that we have here is that we need to 
have the administration come forward and explain to the Congress what 
their firm commitment is about not only providing proper maintenance 
for these 26 Hueys, but to make sure that they operate well.
  Now the fact that we do have problems with the Blackhawks, I think we 
also need a firm commitment from the administration that they will not 
only give the three helicopters, the Blackhawks, but make sure that the 
Colombian officers of that country are able to operate them. I think 
this is one of the problems that we are faced with here.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Farr).
  Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise with great concern about this bill. I do not 
think this is about Colombian drugs; I think this is about Colombian 
pork, and I will tell my colleagues why.
  I lived in Colombia. I know the country well. What we are getting is 
the Colombian military coming up here and asking us to give them $36 
million for three new Blackhawks. We give $120 million for all of Latin 
America to fight drugs, so this is about 25 percent of the entire Latin 
American drug budget going to Colombia for those three Blackhawk 
helicopters.
  Mr. Speaker, let me tell my colleagues how Colombia has taken 
advantage of us. Not only do they come here and get free helicopters, 
but they are importing every day 70 percent of the cut flower market 
into the United States. They come in free.
  We ought to get that money from the business that is making $300 
million off of United States consumers buying Colombian flowers that do 
not have to pay any tariffs that all other flowers from all other 
countries in the world have to pay. And our flower growers in 
California and New York and other States are going out of business 
because of the free Colombian imports.
  So here we have a bill where the Colombians come up here, ask us for 
$36 million for Blackhawks, we give it to them because we are fighting 
drugs, and at the same time we will not close that open door that we 
have given them to grow other crops other than drugs.
  Mr. Speaker, they are getting it both ways. They get free military 
equipment, and that free military equipment sometimes is used to 
suppress human rights in Colombia. More than 3,500 human people were 
killed in Colombia last year at the hands of military, paramilitary, 
and guerrilla forces. Yes, there are some bad dudes in Colombia, and 
the Colombian military supported civilian paramilitary groups which 
have murdered, tortured and forced the migration of thousands of 
peasants and villagers.
  So here we have a country that does not have the personnel to fly the 
helicopters, does not have the mechanics to repair the helicopters, but 
because it is in the drug war, we support it. I think we need to get 
our priorities straight. We cannot have it both ways. If they get three 
helicopters eating up most of the drug money for all of Latin America, 
at the same time we allow them to import all of their flowers here and 
do not charge them anything, no tariff whatsoever, that is outrageous.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to note that the gentleman is mixing 
flowers with coca bushes, and I think he fails to recognize the serious 
impact that the coca trade has had upon the youth of our Nation. 80 
percent of the cocaine in the entire world is coming out of Colombia.
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. GILMAN. I yield to the gentleman from Missouri.
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, as the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) 
knows, I serve on the Committee on National Security, and I have a 
couple of questions I would like to put to the chairman of the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs. I understand this is a $36 million price 
tag; is that right?
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman is correct. It already has 
been approved and appropriated by our committees last year.
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, out of whose budget does this come, if I 
may ask?
  Mr. GILMAN. The State INF, International Narcotics Fund.
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, this did not come before the Committee on 
National Security whatsoever, did it?
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would say to the gentleman that it went 
before the Appropriations Committee.
  Mr. SKELTON. But not the Committee on National Security. I have no

[[Page H1717]]

recollection of it. I think I would, had it come before that committee.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to note that in fiscal 
year 1998, $50 million was appropriated for 12 Huey IIs and three 
Blackhawk choppers. Colombia is the only nation in South America facing 
a very heavy guerrilla insurgency, and as I noted before, Colombia is a 
prime supplier of cocaine not only to our Nation but throughout the 
world. If we are going to turn our back on their request to give them 
the proper equipment to fight this war, we are doing a disservice not 
only to our own Nation but to other nations throughout the world.
  Some nine Blackhawk-qualified pilots have been flying more than 3,000 
flying hours in Blackhawk helicopters. The question was whether there 
were qualified pilots. I just would like to notify the gentleman from 
American Samoa that there are also 11 trained mechanics to keep these 
Blackhawk helicopters in the air.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman 
from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie).
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from 
Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie).
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gibbons). The gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. 
Abercrombie) is recognized for 6\1/2\ minutes.
  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak against this bill, and 
reluctantly because of my friendship and high regard for the gentleman 
from New York (Mr. Gilman), which I think goes without saying, as well 
as my regard for the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson).
  Nonetheless, I feel, Mr. Speaker, that it is imperative that everyone 
recognize, as has been indicated by the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. 
Skelton) our ranking member on the Committee on National Security, that 
this particular purchase has not come through the procedures and 
hearings in National Security. I believe we should properly have 
jurisdiction in this regard.
  We are criticized constantly for having a defense budget that is not 
adequate, or we are criticized for the transfer of technology for 
profit as opposed to actually meeting the defense interest of this 
country, and I most certainly understand the idea that we have to 
defend ourselves against drugs. But in this instance we have advanced 
navigational and plotting systems associated with the Blackhawk that I 
believe may very well fall into the category of transfer of technology 
which many members of the Committee on National Security on a 
bipartisan basis oppose.

                              {time}  1315

  Now, I believe that we will be taking funds away from Peru and 
Bolivia. Whether that is true or not, I am not exactly certain because 
we have not had the hearings on it. Colombia, as has been well stated, 
already has a minimum capacity apparently at the present time to deal 
with the Black Hawk program. Yet, I understand that Colombia is cutting 
its defense budget.
  Now, if we are to form that budget forum, I think that we need to 
make that part of the dialogue that takes place in the Committee on 
National Security. Black Hawks are used by our frontline troops. The 
administration, I understand, is indicating that it will propose super 
Huey helicopters that are adequate for the drug missions, that can be 
utilized for night vision, for example, and that the situation now 
about insurgency requires that we take very, very careful notice of 
whether or not the military utilizing these helicopters would be people 
who are actually going to take up the cause against drug trafficking. 
The corruption factor, aside from those who are heroically trying to 
pursue it right now within the Colombian military, is a very real 
question that needs to be answered.
  Now, we have already had arguments on this floor or discussion on 
this floor today about the capabilities of the Black Hawk versus the 
Huey helicopter, the survivability of the Black Hawks versus the Huey 
helicopter. That is the proper jurisdiction and purview of the 
Committee on National Security. I think that we need to take it up in 
that context.
  My understanding is, as well, that the administration is claiming, as 
has been asserted elsewhere, that we will be taking away from the 
budget allotted to counternarcotics programs elsewhere in Latin and 
South America.
  Now, Mr. Speaker, that may be the case, or it may not. I am not 
entirely certain. But I do know this, that in order for us to proceed 
on these matters, I implore my colleagues, please make these kinds of 
things a matter of joint jurisdiction with the Committee on National 
Security which sets the policy here. I think there is a fundamental 
point not just of procedure in the House, but of acting in the best 
interests of the security interests of the United States by asking that 
this be done.
  If we are going to simply move to the appropriations committees and 
have the appropriations committees make these decisions with respect to 
expenditures, how are we supposed to put together a rational national 
defense policy in coordination with the international relations aspect 
that we need to sustain and maintain?
  I think, Mr. Speaker, that the distinguished chairman, and I mean 
that in every sense, that is not a pro forma utilization of the word by 
me. The distinguished chairman of the Committee on International 
Relations would agree that those of us who are on the national security 
side of policy have worked with him in the past and in every instance 
where he has requested it. He knows that not only myself, but every 
member of the Committee on National Security would be willing to work 
with him in any instance where the international relations and national 
security interests of this country are at stake.
  On that basis, I would appeal, then, to the chairman of the Committee 
on International Relations to recognize that our interest is legitimate 
and that we want to work very closely with him to have a resolution of 
this matter that would be in the interest of everyone, Colombians and 
the people of the United States alike.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. I yield to the gentleman from New York.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, it was in October of 1996 that the 
administration supported the sale of 12 Black Hawks to the Colombian 
Army. These choppers were delivered, three were destroyed last month in 
fighting. Nine of the police pilots have had more than 3.000 hours 
flying helicopters. Eleven Black Hawk maintenance men have been 
qualified to work on Black Hawks.
  So there is an adequate ability to utilize this equipment. And 36 
million of the appropriation that was approved last year included 
maintenance and training for the police. What I am saying is, they are 
adequately trained. They need this equipment. They need it now. Their 
police are dying on the battlefront. We are not helping them. What we 
have given them are used Huey helicopters from the Vietnam era that 
have now just this week been grounded because of a failure of 
equipment.
  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Mr. Speaker, I do not dispute any of that. As I 
said, I have great respect for the gentleman. However, we battle every 
day in the Committee on National Security for those millions of 
dollars. We are not able to maintain our own troops. We are not able to 
train our own troops. We are not able to equip our own troops. We are 
not able to maintain quality of life for our own troops.
  I am quite willing, in fact I will state that I am prepared today to 
work with the gentleman to try to accomplish this, but the gentleman is 
making a case for having joint consideration by the Committee on 
National Security and the Committee on International Relations so that 
our own forces can be adequately funded as well.
  I thank the gentleman for his kind indulgence.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation to 
send three Black Hawk utility helicopters to help the Colombian 
national police win the war on drugs. That is what this is about. 
Illegal drugs rob Americans of their futures.
  Today, approximately 600,000 Americans are heroin users; 1.45 million 
Americans use cocaine. At least a quarter of the 5- to 7,000 people who 
try cocaine each year become addicts losing

[[Page H1718]]

their careers, their families, and often their lives. Colombian drug 
traffickers dominate the supply of these illegal drugs. Eighty percent 
of America's supply of cocaine, and over 6 percent of the heroin seized 
comes from Colombia.
  At a July 1997 hearing in front of the Committee on Government Reform 
and Oversight, Subcommittee on National Security, International 
Affairs, and Criminal Justice, the DEA testified that a drug ``flow 
reduction strategy will be extremely effective in denying 
transportation options to traffickers and substantially reduce the 
movement of cocaine in Colombia.''
  By sending Black Hawks to the Colombian national police for the sole 
purpose of fighting the illegal drug traffickers and the thousands of 
guerrillas protecting them, the United States will provide state-of-
the-art replacements for the national police's 36 Vietnam era Huey 
helicopters, four of which have crashed in the last 6 months and, I 
might add, which now have been grounded by the U.S. Army and the 
National Guard. Only Black Hawks have the capability to reach the poppy 
field in the Andes and to sustain ground fire attacks.
  I urge support of this legislation. Send Black Hawks to the Colombian 
national police. Stop the flow of illegal drugs at the source and take 
a critical step toward ending the illegal drug crisis in America.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hamilton), our distinguished democratic 
leader on the committee.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gibbons). The gentleman from Indiana 
(Mr. Hamilton) is recognized for 4\1/2\ minutes.
  Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the resolution. We 
all support the work of the Colombian national police. We abhor the 
violence that has taken over Colombia and threats that these policemen 
face because of millions of dollars Americans spend on Colombian 
cocaine.
  The chairman is certainly right in wanting to help them, but I do not 
really think this is the best way to do it. I oppose this resolution 
for several reasons. I think it is bad policy. As I understand it, the 
administration is consulting with Members in the hopes of reaching a 
compromise on this issue of funding for helicopters to the Colombian 
national police.
  They are looking for a compromise because the earmark that designated 
this money for helicopters came out of accounts that were destined for 
counternarcotics operations in Peru and Bolivia. The resolution now 
expresses the sense of Congress that full funding for Bolivia should be 
provided. If that direction is followed, then what additional 
countries' counternarcotics programs must be cut?
  I do not know if the resolution drafters have considered that issue. 
They are also looking for a compromise because our people on the ground 
in Colombia have a lot of questions about whether this is the best way 
to put the money to use.
  The Colombian national police do not have pilots for the Black Hawks 
and they do not have mechanics for Black Hawks. Yet, getting their 
people up to speed may take away from the missions they already 
undertake. We are considering this resolution without asking, I think, 
a lot of the tough questions about our overall policy toward Colombia 
and the proper allocation of limited antinarcotics resources.
  When this earmark was first discussed, the Chairman and others said 
that these three Black Hawks would leverage the Colombian Government to 
match these with three more of their own. What the Colombian Government 
has shown, after being decertified for the past 4 years, is that they 
will not commit the Black Hawks we sold them over the past decade to 
this fight.
  So now without examining whether the Colombian national police can 
put this equipment straight to use, and without a committed partner in 
the Colombian Government, we are encouraging the President to provide 
as many helicopters as the Colombian national police need.
  I oppose the resolution, but I do not plan to ask for a vote on it. I 
regret that we are not taking a clear bipartisan step while Colombia is 
in the midst of such turmoil.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend to my colleagues' attention the attached 
letter that I received yesterday from the State Department regarding 
House Resolution 398. The letter points out the Administration's 
concerns with the provision, which I believe was handled in our 
Committee in a flawed manner. Rather than making a clear bipartisan 
statement in support of democracy, civilian control of the military and 
human rights, the Committee hurried through this flawed and partisan 
resolution. Before we consider it on the Suspension calendar on Monday 
afternoon, I encourage my colleagues to read the concerns raised by the 
State Department in this letter.


                                     U.S. Department of State,

                                   Washington, DC, March 26, 1998.
     Hon. Lee H. Hamilton,
     Committee on International Relations,
     House of Representatives.
       Dear Mr. Hamilton: Thank you for the opportunity to comment 
     on the draft House Resolution on provision of UH-60 Black 
     Hawk helicopters to the Colombian National Police. The 
     Administration supports the broad sentiments of the Colombia 
     resolution even as we differ from its prescribed remedy. Our 
     source country strategy is a regional effort. This 
     resolution, focussed only on Colombia, would necessarily draw 
     funds away from our programs in Peru and Bolivia, where we 
     have witnessed dramatic successes in the past two years. Our 
     Peruvian and Bolivian programs have been instrumental in 
     producing a 9.6% drop in regional coca cultivation. Now is 
     not the time to undercut these successful programs.
       Colombia is a country besieged by the intertwined threats 
     of illicit narcotics trafficking and the violent insurgency. 
     The Colombia National Police (CNP) and its leadership have 
     done tremendous work, performing with courage and dedication 
     under difficult and dangerous conditions. They deserve both 
     our support and our admiration.
       Colombian heroin is a serious threat to our national 
     interests, although the emergence of this threat has not 
     diminished the threat posed by Colombian cocaine. We agree 
     that eradication is the most efficient, but not the only, 
     method for stopping the flow of heroin. Given that opium 
     poppy is grown at high altitudes, improved performance 
     helicopters are necessary to eradicate effectively.
       The UH-1H is an older aircraft, but we note that the CNP 
     and the INL Air Division have maintained a high readiness 
     rate at relatively low cost with more than 45 of these 
     helicopters for several years now. The Black Hawk is a high 
     performance helicopter capable of performing well at higher 
     altitudes than the UH-1H, but it is considerably more 
     expensive to procure and maintain and would represent a new 
     and unfamiliar aircraft in the CNP Air Wing. The difficulties 
     of introducing an entirely new aircraft into an existing 
     inventory should not be underestimated. For example, the 
     Colombian Army has had an extremely difficult time 
     integrating the Black Hawks purchased over a year ago into 
     its force structure, and still can not operate them 
     independently.
       We believe that a UH-1H upgraded to the SuperHuey 
     configuration can perform quite adequately at higher altitude 
     at far lower cost and disruption to the CNP Air Wing. The 
     State Department has such a refurbishment program underway 
     for 10 UH-1Hs and will continue the program next fiscal year. 
     Contracts were signed with Bell Textron and U.S. Helicopter 
     for the first of these upgrades on March 18.
       We believe that the purchase of 3 Black Hawks for the CNP 
     is neither cost effective, nor tactically wise. To 
     contemplate the replacement of the entire CNP UH-1H force 
     with Black Hawks would be financially reckless for both the 
     U.S. as the purchaser and Colombia as the operator. The 
     financial costs of replacing all of the CNP's UH-1Hs (some 35 
     currently) with Black Hawks and operating them would be 
     prohibitive.
       We do not support the purchase of 3 Black Hawks for the CNP 
     and we do not support the wholesale replacement of UH-1Hs 
     with Black Hawks. We believe that the Huey upgrade program 
     which is currently underway is the most cost-effective 
     program for Colombians and the taxpayers of the United 
     States.
       As you know, the Administration is currently consulting 
     with interested Members of Congress, including the Foreign 
     Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, to determine an 
     alternative approach to fulfilling the interdiction and 
     eradication needs of the CNP. We contracted your staff on 
     March 24 to schedule a meeting for you with Administration 
     officials to discuss this matter, and were told that you 
     would prefer to postpone such a meeting until after your trip 
     to Colombia. We remain available to brief you at your 
     earliest convenience and look forward to providing the 
     Administration's views on Colombia before your Committee next 
     week.
       Again, we strongly support the efforts of Colombian 
     National Police and their need for increased helicopter lift 
     capability at higher altitudes. In the last three years, we 
     have dramatically increased counternarcotics funding for 
     Colombia. In FY-95, we provided a total of $28.85 million, 
     including INL funds, FMF and other assistance. In FY-96, we 
     increased this to $62.93 million with an increase in Air Wing 
     spending in Colombia and a $40 million drawdown of defense 
     equipment. In FY-97, the total climbed to more than $90 
     million, with dramatic increases in

[[Page H1719]]

     INL program and Air Wing budgets in Colombia, another 
     drawdown, and the release of up to $30 million in frozen 
     Foreign Military Financing. This makes Colombia the single 
     largest recipient of U.S. counternarcotics assistance in the 
     world, a measure of our commitment.
       Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any 
     questions on this or any other matter.
           Sincerely,

                                               Barbara Larkin,

                                              Assistant Secretary,
                                              Legislative Affairs.

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, we have an emergency in Colombia. Good men and women are 
dying. Our youth are being impacted throughout our country and 
throughout the entire world because of the major supply of cocaine. 
Just last week four more of our fellow Americans were taken hostage by 
the narco-guerrillas who have been openly targeting U.S. civilian 
military, and even our own DEA personnel.
  I remind our colleagues that SOUTHCOM commander U.S. Marine Corps 
General Wilhelm, just a little over a week ago said this about the 
events in Colombia: Colombia is very much at risk today.
  With regard to the defeat of the Colombian army in the cocaine 
regions he said, the activities of last week are grim. And on the need 
for good helicopters in Colombia, General Wilhelm stated, you either 
get there through the air or in the rivers or you do not get there at 
all.
  Mr. Speaker, we have had hearing after hearing on the Colombian drug 
policy, including September 1996, when the State Department promised 
better helicopters for the Colombian National Police Antinarcotics 
Unit. None, none have yet been delivered and will not for another 4 
months. And if they are going to deliver Hueys, we find out that the 
military has grounded those Hueys.
  What this resolution is about is implementing the provisions of last 
year's fiscal year 1998 foreign operations appropriations bill, a bill 
that was signed into law by the President last November and has yet to 
be implemented. The law called for the purchase of three Black Hawk 
utility helicopters to help fight drugs before these poisons reach our 
shorelines and destroy our young people.
  I might note, in response to the gentleman from Indiana, three Black 
Hawks have previously been destroyed as they were out there fighting 
the battle.

                              {time}  1530

  The Office of National Drug Control Policy, the ONDCP, on March 10 in 
a 1998 letter to the Miami Herald on Colombia anti-drug aid, stated, 
``Source-country strategy to fight narcotics trafficking is the most 
effective way to stop the flow of drugs.''
  This resolution supports more such source-nation aid for Colombia 
that has been producing 80 percent of the world's cocaine and, most 
recently, 60 percent of the heroin seized in our Nation. Even the other 
provision in the same bill to provide Huey upgrades for the police has 
not been implemented yet, and that contract was signed in March of this 
year and probably now will not be implemented for a year or more based 
on the recent grounding of those Hueys.
  We are told not one upgrade chopper will even be delivered this 
fiscal year. The Huey upgrade first promised 18 months ago will not be 
delivered until a full 2 years later. That is inexcusable when there is 
a war going on, a war to destroy the drug-producing operations of one 
of the largest producers in the world.
  We need to light a fire under our State Department before we have a 
full-blown narco-state in Colombia. That is only 3 hours away from 
Miami, and we are spending more than just the money for three military 
helicopters. If these inexcusable delays are processed, I, too, have 
concerns.
  This resolution is an effort to send in a strong message to the 
administration that the Colombian police need good helicopters now and 
not later. We are looking at a potential narco-state that threatens our 
own vital interests.
  On March 23, the Colombian National Police had to leave four of their 
officers in a downed Huey. They butchered these four officers. The CNP 
had Black Hawks that could have lifted that $1.4 million U.S.-provided 
Huey helicopter immediately and, more importantly, prevented those four 
CNP officers from being murdered by the narco-terrorists.
  Also, our Black Hawk Huey helicopters have the lift and payload 
capacity to get enough police, 18, in each unit into the high Andes, 
where at least four Americans have been taken as hostages. Today, the 
Colombian police do not have any helicopters that could adequately 
serve to mount a rescue mission for those American hostages who are 
being held at some 12,000 feet in altitude.
  So let us stop worrying about process and let us get on with helping 
our fellow Americans and, above all, to help our youth.
  Mr. CALLAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 398.
  As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, I have 
jurisdiction over a relatively small but important component of the War 
on Drugs. The International Narcotics Control account of the Department 
of State is responsible for counter-narcotics activities in foreign 
countries, in cooperation with the Drug Enforcement Administration. 
Most of the funds in this account are intended for eradication of coca 
and opium crops, primarily in Latin America. Total funding is $230 
million.
  One of the important countries in this effort is Bolivia. It has a 
new government that is committed to eliminating coca and cocaine 
production in that country in the next five years.
  Unfortunately, the State Department decided to reduce United States 
funding for Bolivia's counter-narcotics efforts by $31 million, or by 
over two-thirds from the projected level of $45 million. This reduction 
was taken despite the fact the House Appropriations Committee has more 
than doubled funding for this account in the past three years.
  I strongly support providing adequate air assets for the Colombian 
National Police. I also strongly support maintaining Bolivia's counter-
narcotics program.
  I urge the Administration take the necessary steps to address both 
concerns in the near future. In particular, I urge the Administration 
to respond to the need to restore funding for Bolivia's counter-
narcotics program as soon as possible.
  In that regard, at my request the International Relations Committee 
modified the pending resolution to express support for the restoration 
of funding for Bolivia's programs, and directing the Administration to 
act accordingly.
  I'd like to thank the Chairman of the International Relations 
Committee, the gentleman from New York, for his courtesy in agreeing to 
this modification. I think it makes the resolution stronger, and I urge 
the House to approve this resolution.
  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have both procedural and substantive 
problems with this resolution.
  First, this resolution was circulated among committee members only 
last Wednesday evening. The International Relations Committee held a 
mark-up less than 24 hours later to consider the bill. The Subcommittee 
on the Western Hemisphere never had a chance to consider the 
resolution.
  Second, committee rules require a week's notice before mark-up 
legislation. In this instance we got only a few hours notice. Only in 
unusual circumstances are such procedures allowable under the rules and 
then only after consultation with the ranking minority member. No such 
consultation took place.
  Mr. Speaker, I cannot understand why we must ram this resolution 
through the House. It's not as though the helicopters called for by the 
bill will get there any more quickly. They're not even built yet.
  With regard to the resolution itself, Members should be aware that, 
as the resolution implies, this is not about just 3 Blackhawks. This 
about many more. Three is nowhere near enough for the Colombian 
National Police to have an effective capability. In fact, to be 
effective, they need more like 12. The 3 Blackhawks in last year's 
foreign operations bill cost $36 million. That means that Congress will 
be on the hook for $144 million, not $36 million. And that's without 
even considering the outyear costs for additional training and 
maintenance.
  Mr. Speaker, the language in last year's foreign operations bill was 
not considered by the House or Senate before it emerged from conference 
and it has never been the subject of hearings. Never aired in 
subcommittee or full committee in either the House or the Senate. I 
submit that it has skewed the entire anti-narcotics budget for Latin 
America, causing cuts in funding for both Bolivia and Peru, countries 
which have been very successful in their anti-narcotics efforts. This 
congressionally driven mandate has never received any sort of formal 
assessment to determine whether it meets the most pressing counter-
narcotics needs of the Colombian police. We have never asked ourselves 
whether the CNP has the pilots to fly

[[Page H1720]]

these or whether they have the mechanics to maintain them. The answer 
to both is no. No pilots. No mechanics. No capability.
  In fact, both the Colombian Army and Air Force already have 
Blackhawks, already have the pilots, and already have the mechanics. 
Yet they seem unwilling to support the counter-narcotics mission of the 
CNP. As I understand it, the Blackhawks that were sold to Colombia 
previously were supposed to support that counter-narcotics mission. 
This lack of support indicates to me that the Colombian Defense 
Ministry does not believe that the counter-narcotics effort is a matter 
of national security. I believe it is perfectly reasonable for us to 
ask for--and get--cooperation between the Colombian military and the 
CNP.
  Mr. Speaker, just a month ago the GAO criticized the administration 
for not prioritizing the types of equipment that should be provided to 
Colombia. To my knowledge, no such assessment has been done with regard 
to Blackhawks. I think we should at least hold ourselves to the 
standard that we criticize the administration for not meeting.
  Let me say finally, that the Colombian National Police, led by 
General Serrano and the anti-narcotics unit led by Colonel Gallego, 
have a difficult and dangerous mission. Thousands of their men have 
given their lives in the fight against narcotics. I believe we should 
assist Colombia. The question is how best to do that. Last year's bill 
was not the way to do it and this resolution does not make the 
situation any better.
  I urge my colleagues to oppose the resolution. Thank you.
  Mr. MANTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation 
urging the President to assist the Colombian National Police by 
providing them with three UH-60L Blackhawk utility helicopters. As an 
original cosponsor of H. Res. 398, I believe it is important that we 
provide Colombia with the state-of-the-art equipment they need to fight 
their war on drugs.
  The UH-60L helicopter would be an integral weapon in the war against 
drugs in Colombia. With its high performance, it is able to withstand 
the winds associated with the high altitudes of the Andes Mountains, 
and have the capacity to endure crashes and ground fire better than the 
outdated UH-1H helicopters. In addition, the UH-60L has the ability to 
carry sufficient armed anti-drug officers to the areas where they are 
needed most, in the opium fields high in the Andes mountains.
  Colombia is the leading illicit drug producer in the Western 
Hemisphere, producing 80% of the world's cocaine. In the United States 
alone, 60% of the heroin seized on our streets originates in Colombia. 
An immense amount of these drugs arrive in my Congressional District in 
Queens, New York for distribution around New York City and areas of the 
eastern United States. It is imperative we win the war on drugs at the 
source--in the Andes Mountain and other producing areas of Colombia.
  In 1996, the government of Colombia was afflicted with major 
political corruption involving President Ernesto Samper and the Cali 
drug cartel, leading to the country's decertification as a cooperating 
nation in the war on drugs by the United States. This year, although it 
was once again decertified, a national interest waiver allowing for 
continued economic aid for national security purposes was set in place 
for Colombia. It is important the United States recognize that Colombia 
has made major strides in their fight against drugs thanks in large 
part to the work of the Colombian National Police.
  The elite anti-narcotic unit of the Colombian National Police (CNP) 
has played a vital role in fighting the war against drugs. The men and 
women who served in the CNP have risked their lives--losing more than 
4,000 officers in combat over the past ten years. The impeccable 
attention the CNP pays to human rights has been lauded by numerous 
human rights groups around the world, illustrating their commitment to 
making their country a better place to live and work without the 
constant threat of drug-related violence.
  While visiting Colombia last year, I saw first hand the workings of 
the Colombian National Police. Although they have made enormous 
progress in the fight against illicit drug trade, they need updated 
equipment to keep up with the forces which they are fighting--
guerrillas and the drug cartels.
  As a former New York City police officer. I have seen the devastating 
effects drugs have on our communities. Ignoring the circumstances in 
Colombia will not make the situation go away. The United States must 
stand up and actively help those who risk their lives everyday in the 
war against drugs.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 398. This 
legislation sends the right message to the Colombian National Police 
and to the people they protect from the drug-related violence that has 
plagued their country for far too long. The UH-60L helicopter would 
bring the CNP one step closer to winning this ongoing war.
  Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution 
to urge the President to promptly procure Black Hawk (UH-60) 
helicopters to assist the Colombian National Police in their fight 
against the production of heroin.
  Last year, this Congress passed the Foreign Operations Appropriations 
bill with specific direction to the State Department under the 
International Narcotics Control Program. Within this program, $50 
million was slated for helicopter procurement, including three new 
Black Hawks and a package of upgrades for Huey (UH-1) aircraft to a 
Huey II configuration. I'm pleased to say that the Administration has 
just signed a contract for the delivery of five Huey II's, with the 
option for five more. Now the Administration must honor the full intent 
of Congress, and commit to the procurement of three new Black Hawk 
helicopters.
  The upgraded Huey's will meet most of the Colombian National Police's 
counter drug mission requirements, but a number of high performance 
Black Hawk helicopters are necessary to reach the poppy fields in the 
high elevations of the Andes Mountains.
  Mr. Speaker, if we are serious about fighting the war on drugs, we 
must first keep these narcotics from reaching our borders. Our allies 
in Central and South America are struggling against the international 
drug cartels--they are out-gunned, out-manned and out-financed. These 
helicopters are force multipliers, and will go a long way in helping 
Colombia halt the flow of these drugs to America's children, and I urge 
the adoption of this resolution.
  Mr. MALONEY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H. 
Res. 398 and urge the President to expedite the procurement of three 
UH-60L Blackhawk utility helicopters and to provide them to the 
Colombian National Police in support of their efforts against drug 
producers and traffickers.
  Eighty percent of the world's cocaine and more than 60 percent of the 
heroin seized in the U.S. originates in Colombia. In one recent year, 
the federal government estimated that there were 141,000 new users of 
heroin in the U.S. Indeed, the U.S. faces historic levels of heroin use 
among teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17. This is a significant 
social, crime, and health issue.
  We will not win the war against cocaine and heroin solely by trying 
to stop these drugs at our borders. We must go to the source. H. Res. 
398 urges the President to carry out current law and provide Colombia 
with three UH-60L Blackhawk helicopters. These aircraft will offer a 
significant improvement over the National Police's present abilities to 
eradicate poppy and coca crops in remote areas. In contrast to the much 
older UH-1H Huey helicopters now in use, Blackhawks have greater range, 
carry more personnel, and operate more effectively at the high 
elevations at which opium-producing poppies are grown in the Andes.
  The Colombian National Police use helicopters in 90 percent of their 
counter-drug operations. Over the last six months, at least four 
crashed or were shot down during such operations. Blackhawk has 
increassed survivability against hostile fire and is more likely to 
survive crashes. The U.S. benefits directly from the National Police's 
drug eradication and interdiction efforts. We should ensure that 
Colombia has the best equipment to wage an effective war on drugs. I 
urge my colleagues in the House to pass this resolution unanimously.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gibbons). The gentleman from American 
Samoa has 1\1/2\ minutes remaining.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, House Resolution 398, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was 
agreed to.
  The title of the resolution was amended so as to read as follows:
  ``A resolution urging the President to expeditiously procure and 
provide three UH-60L Blackhawk utility helicopters to the Colombian 
National Police solely for the purpose of assisting the Colombian 
National Police to perform their responsibilities to reduce and 
eliminate the production of illicit drugs in Colombia and the 
trafficking of such illicit drugs, including the trafficking of drugs 
such as heroin and cocaine to the United States, and for other 
purposes.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.




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