[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 100 (Tuesday, June 17, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1243]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  MERIDA INITIATIVE TO COMBAT ILLICIT NARCOTICS AND REDUCE ORGANIZED 
                    CRIME AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2008

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 10, 2008

  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition of H.R. 6028 
and the program it would authorize, Merida Initiative. I would like to 
thank Chairman Berman for his efforts to ensure that the Merida 
Initiative received proper Congressional input, as well as his efforts 
to include human rights protections. I was disheartened once again, 
last year, when President Bush developed the Initiative without 
Congressional input or any regard for the well-documented human rights 
abuses of the Mexican military and law enforcement. However, to address 
these problems successfully, it will be necessary to address the 
problem of drug production in Mexico and South America, to address the 
problem of drug consumption here in the United States, and to stem drug 
trafficking between the United States and our neighbors to the south. 
The Merida Initiative does none of these.
  Time and again, research has demonstrated that illicit drug 
production in developing countries stems from pervasive rural poverty 
and lack of sustainable sources of income. H.R. 6028 falls woefully 
short of supporting programs that address these issues. The vast 
majority of authorized funds will go toward equipment and training for 
military and law enforcement operations; funding for prevention and 
development programs will come from a much smaller authorization that 
competes with certain law enforcement initiatives and judicial reforms.
  Similarly, research teaches us that drug use in America stems from 
poverty, lack of access to basic needs, and other psychosocial 
stressors. Again, H.R. 6028 will accomplish nothing to reduce drug 
demand in the United States. H.R. 6028 authorizes no money for demand 
reduction. In fact, H.R. 6028 only requires the President to submit a 
report on the measures taken to intensify efforts to address our 
Nation's demand-related aspects of drug trafficking.
  Moreover, interdiction efforts that address exclusively the 
trafficking aspect of the drug problem have little effect. Most often, 
the consequence of such intervention is an increase in price and 
slightly diminished amount of drugs in circulation, which does almost 
nothing to reduce demand. Enterprising drug dealers will find a way to 
get their product into the hands of users, and users struggling with 
addiction will go to extreme ends to get their fix.
  More money for guns and other tools of destruction will do nothing to 
ease the suffering of those struggling with addiction or alleviate the 
social problems that compel people to produce and/or traffic drugs. For 
those reasons, I cannot support this bill.

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