[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 80 (Monday, June 11, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6053-S6054]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       AGING INTERDICTION FLEETS

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I rise today to draw continued attention 
to our important narcotic interdiction efforts throughout the Caribbean 
and Eastern Pacific, commonly referred to as the ``Transit Zone,'' and 
the aging condition of the aircraft and vessels in both the U.S. 
Customs Service and U.S. Coast Guard fleet inventories.
  Earlier this year, the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics 
Control held a hearing on the Transit Zone. Intelligence sources 
estimate that the annual cocaine flow through the six million square-
mile Transit Zone is in excess of 500 metric tons. Non-commercial 
maritime conveyances account for more than 80 percent of this Transit 
Zone flow, and unfortunately, the estimated success rate for smugglers 
``go-fast'' deliveries is close to 90 percent.
  The U.S. Coast Guard operates numerous ships and aircraft that are 
aging and now require excessive maintenance to keep them in operation. 
Because these assets lack current technology, they are extremely 
manpower intensive, and require constant maintenance, which detracts 
from readiness and increases life cycle costs. All of the Coast Guard's 
210-foot and 378-foot ships are at least 30 years old, and the Coast 
Guard even operates 3 ``Mature class'' cutters, WWII-era vessels 
inherited from the U.S. Navy. The Coast Guard's fleet of medium and 
high endurance cutters is older than 37 of the world's 39 similar naval 
fleets, and the majority of major Coast Guard ships and aircraft will 
reach the end of their predicted service lives by the year 2008.
  The Customs Service operates a wide range of aircraft at 11 air 
branches and 10 air units throughout the country, as well as at 3 
overseas forward operating locations (FOLs) and 2 sites in Mexico. The 
Customs Service has 142 aircraft and 196 vessels, and many are in need 
of modernization or replacement. The average age of their C-12 aircraft 
is 22 years old and all 16 of their UH-60 Blackhawks are ``A'' models 
(first production series) on loan from the U.S. Army. As their P-3 
aircraft fleet has aged, numerous corrosion and cracking problems have 
been discovered. It is the P-3 aircraft that has become the backbone of 
our detection and monitoring system. But, the U.S. Customs Service Air 
and Maritime Interdiction (AMID) January 2001 Strategic Assessment 
reported, the level of aviation operations is insufficient to meet the 
current agency requirements of Presidential Decision Directive (PDD-
14), the National Drug Control Strategy, and Plan Colombia.
  While both services begin to feel the debilitating effects of these 
aging assets, demands for both the Customs Service and Coast Guard's 
unique services are simultaneously increasing. A doubling world 
population, the continued decline in marine fisheries, the end of the 
Cold War, the doubling of commercial passenger enplanements by 2009, 
the continuing scourge of illegal drugs and human smuggling, and the 
tripling of international commerce are all expected to increase the 
nation's reliance on these agencies. The Customs Service will continue 
to be on the front lines on trade and economic growth, border security, 
counter terrorism, narcotics interdiction, financial crimes and money 
laundering, pornography, and Internet cybercrime cases. The Coast Guard 
will continue as the lead federal agency in the maritime environment 
with respect to drugs, illegal

[[Page S6054]]

immigration, and fisheries law enforcement. We are increasing our 
demands, we are expanding our expectations, but we are not investing in 
our capability. We cannot continue to live off our principal and expect 
to achieve results.
  The recent record maritime seizure of 13 tons of cocaine on a vessel 
in the Eastern Pacific only serves to highlight the significant Transit 
Zone threat and reinforces the urgent need for modernization of the 
U.S. Customs Service and the U.S. Coast Guard fleets. I urge my 
colleagues to continue to support our Nation's counterdrug efforts, 
including those in the Transit Zone and at our borders, and in support 
of these two important U.S. agencies.

                          ____________________