[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16074-16080]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 EXPRESSING SENSE OF CONGRESS THAT VENEZUELA SHOULD SUPPORT STRATEGIES 
                 FOR ENSURING SECURE AIRPORT FACILITIES

  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 400) expressing the 
sense of Congress that the Government of Venezuela should actively 
support strategies for ensuring secure airport facilities that meet 
international certifications to prevent trafficking of controlled 
substances, narcotics, and laundered money, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 400

       Whereas the United States is strongly committed to working 
     with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that have a 
     shared interest in promoting regional stability;
       Whereas the United States is strongly committed to working 
     with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that are 
     combating the scourge of drugs and the violence and social 
     degradation caused by narcotics trafficking;
       Whereas the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is a party to 
     the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in 
     Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (1988 UN Drug 
     Convention);
       Whereas Venezuela is a key transit point for drugs leaving 
     Colombia--the world's primary source of cocaine and South 
     America's top producer of heroin;
       Whereas drug trafficking through Venezuela significantly 
     increased in 2005;
       Whereas weak law enforcement, corruption, and a weak 
     judicial system in Venezuela allow criminal organizations to 
     act with impunity;
       Whereas the Department of State's International Narcotics 
     Control Strategy Report of 2006 reports that Colombian 
     cartels, guerrilla groups, and paramilitary organizations and 
     Venezuelan criminal organizations (among other smugglers) 
     routinely exploit a variety of routes and methods to move 
     hundreds of tons of illegal drugs into Venezuela every year, 
     and organized crime in Venezuela

[[Page 16075]]

     has begun to set up operations in foreign countries to 
     receive and distribute drugs in addition to providing 
     transportation services;
       Whereas in September 2005, the Government of the United 
     States determined that Venezuela had failed demonstrably to 
     meet its counternarcotics obligations and that Venezuela 
     could no longer be certified as an ally in the war on drugs;
       Whereas the promulgation by Venezuela of two new laws in 
     October 2005, the ``Law against Organized Crime'' and the 
     ``Law against the Trafficking and Consumption of Narcotics 
     and Psychotropic Substances'', brought Venezuelan law into 
     compliance with the 1988 UN Drug Convention; however, it is 
     not certain, according to the Department of State, whether 
     Venezuela's political and judicial institutions are up to the 
     task of vigorous and impartial implementation of such new 
     laws;
       Whereas on April 11, 2006, a commercial plane originating 
     in Venezuela was seized in Mexico at the airport of Ciudad 
     del Carmen, carrying 5.6 tons of cocaine with an estimated 
     street value of $100 million;
       Whereas seizure statistics at the Simon Bolivar 
     International Airport in Caracas are not available because 
     the Government of Venezuela does not publicize such 
     statistics;
       Whereas estimates indicate that as much as 90 percent of 
     the cocaine and heroin trafficked through the Simon Bolivar 
     International Airport over the last 12 months was not 
     intercepted;
       Whereas the Government of Venezuela continues to fail to 
     effectively utilize several airport security systems provided 
     by the United States specifically aimed at increasing the 
     Simon Bolivar International Airport counternarcotics 
     capabilities;
       Whereas the Government of Venezuela has not taken any steps 
     unilaterally to prosecute any corrupt airport officials 
     relating to cases of money laundering or drug trafficking at 
     the airport despite credible intelligence estimates that 
     there is potentially millions of dollars in narcotics 
     proceeds passing through Simon Bolivar International Airport 
     and Venezuela; and
       Whereas the Government of Venezuela and the Venezuela 
     National Anti-Drug Office (ONA) have officially reported only 
     two seizures of currency in 2006, one for $13,865 in United 
     States currency and the other for 7,000 euros: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That--
       (1) Congress--
       (A) strongly condemns the actions and inactions of the 
     Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela which have 
     created fertile ground for criminal drug trafficking 
     organizations;
       (B) strongly condemns the failures on the part of the 
     Government of Venezuela to stem the flow of illicit narcotics 
     through its territory; and
       (C) strongly condemns the complicity of senior Venezuelan 
     Government law enforcement officials and transportation 
     officials who are effectively enabling large scale shipments 
     of both cocaine and heroin at the Simon Bolivar International 
     Airport and other transit points; and
       (2) it is the sense of Congress that--
       (A) it should continue to be the policy of the United 
     States to support cooperation between Venezuela and partners 
     in the Andean region to combat trafficking in narcotics and 
     other controlled substances;
       (B) steps should continue to be taken to restore bilateral 
     law enforcement cooperation between Venezuela and the United 
     States Drug Enforcement Administration;
       (C) it should continue to be the policy of the United 
     States to work with the international community, including 
     the Organization of American States (OAS), to assist with a 
     thorough review of the measures in place at the Simon Bolivar 
     International Airport in Caracas;
       (D) it should continue to be the policy of the United 
     States to work with other member states of OAS to bring 
     Venezuela into compliance and fully adhere to OAS conventions 
     and comprehensive treaties to prevent, punish, and eliminate 
     narco-terrorism, which constitutes ``a serious threat to 
     democratic values and to international peace and security'';
       (E) the Secretary of Transportation should provide to 
     Congress not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     adoption of this resolution, on behalf of the Department of 
     State, Department of Homeland Security, Department of 
     Justice, and the Department of Transportation, a report with 
     an assessment of the process undertaken by the Government of 
     Venezuela toward restoring airport security measures and 
     controls that meet international standards of safety; and
       (F) the Secretary of State should provide to Congress not 
     later than 180 days after the date of the adoption of this 
     resolution a report on Venezuela's compliance with its 
     responsibilities under international counternarcotics 
     treaties.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Indiana (Mr. Burton) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. 
Delahunt) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Indiana.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Indiana?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mack).
  Mr. MACK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the 
resolution that is in front of us. Hugo Chavez every step of the way 
has gone against the grain when it comes to the ideals that we believe 
in as Americans. The ideals of freedom and democracy, liberty, the rule 
of law, and the trusting of people.
  Hugo Chavez from the beginning has tried to make an enemy of the 
United States. In his own words, he talks about anti-American, anti-
freedom. In his own words, out of his own mouth. Today's resolution is 
about drug trafficking.
  Over 30 percent of the cocaine that comes into the United States 
comes through Venezuela. That is a huge number. We can no longer allow 
Hugo Chavez to manipulate the minds and the hearts and the dreams of 
not only his own people, but the people of the United States.
  Mr. Chairman, whether it is siding with Iran in trying to purchase 
military aircraft and weapons, his desire for nuclear technology, 
trying to intimidate the media in his own country, Hugo Chavez is not a 
friend of the United States.
  In fact, he is doing everything he can to turn away from freedom and 
democracy. I strongly support the resolution in front of us. I hope 
that Hugo Chavez will wake up and understand that it is better to be a 
friend with the United States, it is better to be a friend and believer 
in the ideals of freedom, security and prosperity. I hope one day that 
he will understand that he has made major mistakes and that it is time 
to come back to what was once a Venezuela that believed in freedom and 
democracy.
  Mr. DELAHUNT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the resolution. While I have 
disagreements with some of the provisions in the preamble, and with the 
accusatory tone of some of the ``resolves'' clauses, what concerns me 
most is the timing of its consideration. Because a draft agreement 
between the Drug Enforcement Agency of the United States, and the 
Venezuelan antidrug office hangs in the balance.
  Now, there has been considerable time and effort invested by both 
sides in this initiative, which I believe and I know others do, would 
be mutually beneficial to both Venezuela and the United States. But the 
passage of this resolution puts that at risk.
  Because we all know that what we do here tonight will be interpreted 
in Caracas as a political statement to embarrass and intimidate the 
Chavez Government. That is simply the reality. And to think otherwise 
would be naive in the extreme.
  Let us be candid. And my friend and colleague from Florida touched on 
many aspects of the relationship. But every one on the planet knows 
that the relationship between the Presidents of the United States, and 
Venezuela is poor. Prior to the coup in 2002, it was practically 
nonexistent.
  But when it appeared to the Venezuelans that the Bush administration 
appeared to applaud the coup, that relationship proceeded to 
deteriorate to the point where it can only be described as bitter and 
hostile.
  The rhetoric has become incendiary and insulting. And every action on 
either side is perceived to be motivated by hostility and political 
calculation. The unfortunate result is that what has evolved is a 
relationship that is hardened into profound mutual animosity that is 
having long-lasting and real world implications, whether it implicates 
terrorism, or drugs or anything.
  We all know that while this resolution will be hardly noticed in this

[[Page 16076]]

country, its language condemning the Chavez Government will provoke 
headlines in Venezuela, that will be used by Chavez's opponents in the 
forthcoming presidential campaign, and undoubtedly there will be a 
reaction from the Chavez Government.
  Without a working, transparent and viable relationship between the 
Drug Enforcement Agency and Venezuela, there will be serious 
consequences to both countries. As I just said, I have no doubt that 
what we do here today will be interpreted in Caracas as yet another 
insult, which will provoke more inflammatory rhetoric, and make any 
potential constructive relationship on this particular issue much more 
difficult to achieve.
  Now, let me be very clear. I know that that is not the intention of 
the chairman who has offered this resolution. But I am also confident, 
and I hope I am wrong, that this draft agreement will be the victim of 
this poisonous relationship and atmosphere that exists.
  Let me emphasize, I am not giving up on the agreement. Earlier today 
I had a conversation with my friend and colleague from New York, 
Representative Meeks. We agreed that this is simply too important. This 
agreement is simply too important not to make a final effort.
  And we will go down, and we will encourage the government of 
Venezuela to finally sign the agreement, which hopefully will restore a 
working relationship between the DEA and the anti-drug office in 
Venezuela.

                              {time}  2130

  But I am not hopeful. Because I believe that the language in this 
resolution, whether it is intended or not, will exacerbate the tension 
that clearly exists. And the tragedy is that the people in both 
countries will pay a price, and that is sad.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, before I yield to my vice 
chairman of the committee, Mr. Weller, let me just make a couple of 
points.
  First of all, I have high regard for my Democrat friend from 
Massachusetts. He and I are friends. We have a strong disagreement on 
this issue.
  Let me just make a couple of points.
  First of all, we were told by the Venezuelan government and the DEA 
was told by the Venezuelan government that they were going to work to 
reach an agreement on this draft agreement some time ago. Then they 
asked for an extension to July 8. And we were going to bring this 
resolution to the floor some time ago, and we decided, okay, we will 
wait until July 8. My friend from Massachusetts and Mr. Meeks asked me 
to hold up on this. I think Mr. Meeks asked. I can't remember. Mr. 
Delahunt did. And we held the resolution until July 8. We pulled it off 
the calendar and held it until July 8.
  July 8 came, and we were told by the DEA that they refused to sign 
it, and Hugo Chavez said that he was not going to give us a time frame 
within which he would even consider signing it. So they asked for more 
time, we gave them more time, and when the time came they refused to 
sign, it and they won't give us a date to sign it now.
  Now we are not trying to embarrass the government of Venezuela, but 
they have done such things as accused our DEA agents, who are fighting 
the drug war for the people of this country, of being spies for the 
United States. They have done everything they can to hamper the DEA's 
operation down there. And there have been $100 million of cocaine that 
was confiscated at the Mexican airport that came from the Caracas 
Venezuela airport. And so we have not had any cooperation whatsoever.
  I don't know much about what kind of publicity this is going to 
generate in Venezuela, but the fact of the matter is Mr. Chavez needs 
to be put on notice that the American people are not going to stand 
idly by and let Venezuela be a transit point for drugs into this 
country and killing American people.
  Mr. Speaker, I will now yield to my colleague, Mr. Weller, for 2\1/2\ 
minutes.
  Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. 
Res. 400 and commend my chairman, Mr. Burton, for his leadership on 
this issue.
  This important resolution expresses this Congress's concern and 
frustration about the rising proliferation of narcotics from Venezuela 
and reaffirms the United States' commitment to stability and freedom in 
the Western Hemisphere.
  Venezuela historically has the potential to be a key ally in the 
global war against the narcotics trade. However, its government is not 
stepping up to the plate. According to the State Department, 
approximately 150 metric tons of cocaine and increasing quantities of 
heroin move through its territory annually. Mr. Speaker, Venezuela is 
becoming a safe haven for the drug trade and those who profit from it.
  Corruption is a growing problem in the Venezuelan government, and the 
airports are not immune. Simon Bolivar International Airport is 
becoming a haven for crime, where personal property theft, muggings and 
``express kidnappings'' have become the norm. One of the nation's main 
transportation hubs, this airport has millions of dollars of narcotics 
flowing through it annually, and in the past year an estimated 90 
percent of the cocaine and heroin trafficked through this airport have 
not been intercepted. These illicit drugs are headed to locations 
through our hemisphere and pose a significant threat to the health and 
safety of U.S. citizens.
  The Government of Venezuela has failed to adhere to its obligations 
under international narcotics agreements; and, despite credible 
evidence that the airport is a transit point for the trade, they have 
not taken any unilateral steps on their part to prosecute corrupt 
airport officials involved in drug trafficking.
  Mr. Speaker, the Government of Venezuela has repeatedly assured us 
they would sign the new DEA Implementing Accord, an affirmation that 
Venezuelan and U.S. law enforcement would cooperate to combat 
trafficking and distribution of narcotics. The signing date for this 
accord has come and gone with no satisfactory explanation and no new 
firm signing date. With this resolution, we are expressing our 
apprehension over the lack of law enforcement cooperation the 
Government of Venezuela will allow and our concern about the growing 
use of Venezuelan territory as a transit route for drug trade in our 
hemisphere.
  Mr. Speaker, the United States and Venezuela cooperated successfully 
historically in the past; and we need to continue to do so in the 
future. Narcotrafficking is a direct threat to democracy, a threat to 
peace, a threat to security within the Western Hemisphere, and together 
the U.S. and Venezuela must work together to combat it.
  I sincerely hope that Venezuela will step up to its responsibility as 
a leader in our hemisphere by restoring cooperation with U.S. law 
enforcement and fulfilling its obligation to combat narcotrafficking 
within its own borders.
  Mr. DELAHUNT. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to 
my friend and colleague who serves on the Western Hemisphere 
Subcommittee and has spent considerable time in Venezuela and is 
familiar with the nuances of that relationship, my friend, Mr. Meeks.
  Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Speaker, I understand the concerns of the 
chairman; and I believe I understand his intent for introducing this 
piece of legislation. But the bottom line is we have got to make sure 
that we accomplish something here.
  The real deal here is not about the chatter between President Chavez 
and President Bush and the statements that have gone back and forth. 
The bottom line here is, what do we do to make sure that we are 
stopping the flow of drugs?
  While we are here debating the merits of this resolution, the experts 
are still in Venezuela completing the specifics of an agreement that 
would reestablish the relationship between the Drug Enforcement Agency 
and the appropriate Venezuelan authorities. The fact that we are 
debating it on the floor today, as Mr. Delahunt says, it really 
threatens our relationship and

[[Page 16077]]

makes it so that the possibility of getting this thing done becomes 
remote at best.
  We don't need to continue to politicize this issue. What we need to 
do is to make sure that we are staying out of it, actually, and 
allowing the experts to really sit down to work to complete their job.
  The Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law 
Enforcement Affairs of 2006 reported and identified 20 countries as 
major drug transit or major illicit drug-producing countries, despite 
increased drug seizures during the past 4 years; and these are the real 
facts.
  In an effort to reduce the proliferation of drugs throughout the 
region and into the United States, the presidents of Venezuela and 
Colombia have started a process of military modernization to shore up 
the fence along their countries' borders; and Venezuela has extradited 
a number of leading armed actors from the ELN and the FARC to Colombia.
  In fact, I spoke with DEA officials in my office, and I know they 
want this agreement signed so that they can continue to do their jobs. 
I also have been in communication with the Venezuelans; and they have 
expressed, I believe, a sincere desire to finally get this agreement 
signed.
  Our actions today condemning the Venezuelan government for being 
complicit in efforts to secure airport facilities to prevent 
trafficking of controlled substances, narcotics and laundered money 
does not fit the action of negotiating in good faith to finalize this 
agreement. We cannot play into the hands of being somewhat 
obstructionist and widen the gap between our two governments, which 
already has a very strained relationship.
  In the resolution itself, Mr. Speaker, it urges Venezuela to support 
strategies for ensuring secure airport facilities that meet 
international certifications to prevent trafficking of controlled 
substances, narcotics and laundered money. However, when the data-
sharing agreement is signed, according to the DEA mandate, title 21, 
chapter 13, subchapter 1, part E, this concern will be addressed and 
covered. So passage of this resolution will either prevent or 
substantially delay this agreement from being signed.
  The resolution also, you know, there is some truth, but sometimes the 
truths are half-truths. It states, drug trafficking through Venezuela 
significantly increased in 2005, when in fact over 25 percent of drug 
seizures occurred at the Simon Bolivar Airport in 2005, and 2005 also 
witnessed a 58 percent increase in drug seizures compared to the 
previous year. In addition, drug seizures are up in Venezuela compared 
to this time last year by as much as 30 percent.
  The resolution further identified that on April 11 of this year, a 
commercial plane originating in Venezuela was seized in Mexico at the 
airport of Ciudad del Carmen, carrying 5.6 tons of cocaine with an 
estimated street value of $100 million. Well, Mr. Speaker, the truth of 
the matter is, according to Mexico's Defense Department, the army was 
waiting for the plane on Monday at the Airport del Carmen 550 miles 
east of Mexico City after receiving information from the Venezuelan 
Government and U.S. authorities; and this is according to Mexican Army 
General Carlos Gaytan.
  Mr. Speaker, I have a newspaper article that I would ask unanimous 
consent to have added to the Record indicating the very same with 
quotations from the general.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Mack). Is there objection to the request 
of the gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.

             Mexico Army Seizes Huge Cocaine Haul on Plane

       Mexico City.--Mexican soldiers seized 5\1/2\ tons of 
     cocaine worth more than $100 million from a commercial plane 
     arriving from Venezuela, Mexico's Defense Department 
     announced Tuesday.
       The army was waiting for the plane on Monday at the airport 
     of Cuidad de Carmen, 550 miles east of Mexico City, after 
     receiving information from Venezuelan and U.S. authorities, 
     Gen. Carlos Gaytan told a news conference.
       The cocaine was stacked in 128 black suitcases marked 
     private.
       Soldiers arrested Colombian Miguel Vazquez, 47, who was the 
     plane's co-pilot, but the pilot escaped, Gaytan said. There 
     were no passengers.
       The soldiers also arrested two Mexicans who were waiting at 
     the airport with another plane.
       Gaytan said airport officials initially stopped soldiers 
     from approaching the plane, claiming there was an oil leak 
     and that it might explode. The officials are being 
     investigated to see if they were in league with the 
     traffickers, said Mexico's top drug prosecutor, Jose Luis 
     Santiago Vasconcelos.
       U.S. and Mexican officials say that cocaine and heroin is 
     increasingly passing from Colombia through Venezuela to 
     Mexico where it is smuggled into the United States. While 
     drug traffickers used planes to smuggle large quantities of 
     drugs in the 1990s, most Mexican traffickers now use land and 
     sea routes.
       A U.S. State Department report released in March said that 
     Venezuela has become a key transit point for drugs because of 
     ``rampant corruption at the highest levels of law enforcement 
     and a weak judicial system.''
       Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez suspended cooperation with 
     the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in August, accusing 
     its agents of spying.

  Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Speaker, we are also told that statistics 
on drug seizures at the Simon Bolivar International Airport in Caracas 
are not available, but the truth of the matter is no one must have 
asked for the information. Because I called and asked for the 
information, and they provided me with the following, and I have charts 
that I would like to present for the Record.
  There is a chart identifying where seizures took place in 2005, two 
charts define how much cocaine and heroin was seized at the airport and 
at Santiago Marino Airport since 2002. I have a chart identifying 
nationality of individuals involved in drugs and have been caught since 
2002. And I have several charts identifying the type of drug and the 
quantity confiscated in Venezuela in 2005, the number of security 
agencies and personnel involved in drug confiscation throughout 
Venezuela, persons from Venezuela arrested for drugs in Venezuela, and 
the number of foreigners arrested for drugs in Venezuela. So I have all 
of these that I would also like to submit at the end for the Record. 
Their information is available. They have been sharing this with us.
  This resolution further threatens the delicate relationship between 
our two countries. And, consequently, for me, I am really concerned. I 
happen to represent an international airport, JFK, John F. Kennedy 
International Airport; and I understand the importance of keeping drugs 
out. To me, that is what the bottom line is. This isn't about us 
against them. For me, it is about securing our country so that we can 
keep the drugs from coming in and doing what we have to do.
  The resolution basically I think, and I hope I am wrong, as Mr. 
Delahunt said, what it will do is it will assure that we won't have an 
agreement. And if we don't have an agreement, then what we have 
accomplished is that there can be more drugs getting into this country.
  We have got to do just the opposite. We have got to make sure that we 
do everything that we possibly can to secure and to prevent drugs from 
entering into the United States of America. I think that this is the 
wrong way of doing it, so therefore I will oppose this resolution and 
ask all Members that, if you truly want to stop drugs, we need to get 
an agreement with Venezuela.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, before I yield to my colleague 
from California, let me just take 1 minute.
  First of all, when my colleague and good friend (Mr. Meeks) says that 
we have a delicate relationship with Venezuela, I would like to point 
out to him that President Chavez is in Tehran today. He is over there 
talking to the ayatollahs who he has invited to Venezuela. He has been 
buying thousands of AK-47s. He is trying to expand his military 
operation down there. He goes on television every Sunday for 5 hours, 
and he calls the President of the United States a donkey and other 
names.
  So if you are talking about a delicate relationship being in 
jeopardy, let me just say the reason for the delicate relationship 
being in jeopardy is because Mr. Chavez is shooting off his mouth. I 
have met with him several times with

[[Page 16078]]

you folks, and he always says he is going to tone down the rhetoric, 
and he never does.
  Regarding the $100 million of cocaine that came out of Venezuela into 
the Mexican airport, we have talked to intelligence sources and they 
said there was no information coming from Venezuela about that 
shipment. They said that is totally false.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to my good friend from California (Mr. Royce) 
for 2 minutes.

                              {time}  2145

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding.
  Let me say that last week the Subcommittee on International Terrorism 
that I chair held a hearing on Venezuela's link to terrorism. On May 
15, the State Department designated Venezuela as not cooperating fully 
with U.S. anti-terrorism efforts. Mr. Speaker, from what we heard from 
the Department officials, it is not that Venezuela is not cooperating 
fully, it is that Venezuela is not cooperating at all.
  Disconcerting was the testimony we heard from the State Department 
that Venezuelan passports can be forged with child-like ease and that 
the U.S. is detaining at our borders an increasing number of third 
country aliens carrying false Venezuelan documents. According to a 2003 
U.S. news report, thousands of Venezuelan identity documents are being 
distributed to foreigners from Middle Eastern nations including Syria, 
Pakistan, Egypt and Lebanon.
  It is not just anti-terrorism in which we see no cooperation, as 
pointed out in this resolution, it is also counternarcotics, and today, 
Hugo Chavez, President Chavez, is in Moscow signing a multibillion 
dollar agreement for advanced fighter jets for attack helicopters, for 
100,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles and a license to build a Kalashnikov 
factory in Venezuela. He is trying to negotiate two or three 
submarines, and frankly, these are not helpful in terms of regional 
stability.
  It is not helpful that he is traveling to Iran and to North Korea, 
and it is not helpful when he says he is trying to create a common 
ideological front against the United States.
  Frankly, these weapons are to allow his self-described socialist 
revolution to become a military force to be reckoned with in Latin 
America. This resolution is an important one, and I urge its adoption.
  Mr. DELAHUNT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I intend to yield to the gentleman from Ohio, but I am very glad that 
my friends raise the issue of Iran and Tehran, because the gentleman 
that spoke here today, that spoke in this, to this House, in this 
institution, has yet to denounce the military cooperation agreement 
between Iran and Iraq that exists as we speak.
  Let me remind my friends, too, that the foreign minister of Iraq by 
the name of Zebari made this statement to the international community: 
We should not press Tehran about their nuclear program because they 
tell us that it is for peaceful purposes. We do not need a guarantee, 
let us just simply accept, accept what they say.
  I am really glad you brought up Tehran because what I am beginning to 
see is an emerging relationship, if not an alliance, between Iraq and 
Iran. It is clear that there is a huge Iranian influence in Iraq today, 
a place where we have lost over 2,500 men and women, where we have 
expended hundreds of billions of dollars. And yet what do we hear? 
Nothing about Iran. We hear no condemnation of Hezbollah, none 
whatsoever.
  I am glad you brought up Iran. Go back and check about that bilateral 
military cooperation agreement. I know one does not currently exist 
between Iran and Venezuela, but it does between our friends in Iraq and 
Iran. We have really created a hegemony in the Middle East, Iran.
  But also, I think it is important that because the chairman spoke 
about the DEA, and I am sure they have gone through and I understand 
they have verified or they have had serious consultations. As a matter 
of record, if the chairman tells me, I will accept it, does the Drug 
Enforcement Administration believe that the passage of this resolution 
will accelerate the signing of this agreement?
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. DELAHUNT. I yield to the gentleman from Indiana.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, in answer to your question, I do 
not think anything is going to accelerate this until Mr. Chavez decides 
what he wants to do, and Mr. Chavez was given, if the gentleman will 
let me finish, Mr. Chavez and you, my good friend, asked for us to give 
them an extension to July 8. We did that, and on July 8, they did not 
sign it, and they would not give us a date after that. You know that.
  So what we are trying to do is point out to the United States and the 
Venezuelan people that they reneged on their commitment.
  Mr. DELAHUNT. Reclaiming my time, there was, and I would remind my 
friend that there was a very tense issue between Venezuela and the 
United States regarding air traffic between our countries. Quiet 
diplomacy, patience, restraint resulted in the resolution of that 
problem. So that today between Venezuela and the United States, there 
is air travel, it is working. So accord can happen.
  I share the frustration of my friend from Indiana. I know that he is 
someone who is a very can-do kind of guy, and at times, one might 
describe his temperament as somewhat impetuous. Unfortunately, 
diplomacy does not necessarily work that way.
  Now, I understand, too, that the State Department INL had this to 
say. I am quoting from our own State Department. This is after all of 
the problems that you described between the DEA and the anti-drug 
officer of Venezuela. This is a quote. ``In spite of the political 
tensions, DEA continued working with its law enforcement contacts, 
developing information and leads that have contributed,'' listen 
carefully, ``have contributed to record seizures by Venezuelan law 
enforcement.'' The DEA is acknowledging that there have been record 
seizures, according to their own official report, the INL. ``After 
decertification, political sniping faded and government officials 
expressed renewed willingness to cooperate. Government of Venezuela 
officials have linked cooperation to the signing of a new bilateral 
counternarcotics working arrangement.''
  That is what we all want, and if we can achieve that, we have done 
something positive. We know the rhetoric is going to fly back and 
forth. We know there is going to be finger-pointing and all kinds of 
nasty words spoken on either side, but what is most important, what is 
most important is that we protect our own children.
  I think the decertification process, I wonder if we have any 
standards for ourselves. In the last 6 years, have we taken steps to 
adequately decline, to adequately reduce the demand that fuels the 
narcotics coming in to this country?
  Mr. Speaker, with that, I yield the balance of my time to the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich), my friend.
  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman.
  When you look at the resolution, and it says in part, ``steps should 
continue to be taken to restore cooperation between Venezuela and the 
United States Drug Enforcement Administration,'' I think everyone in 
this Congress would readily agree with that, but the language and 
condemnation actually separates us from that goal.
  I think this is a consistent problem that we face here in the 
Congress. We desire a certain type of behavior from another government 
and then we tear them to shreds with our rhetoric. So it may be that we 
need to think again about our approach towards diplomacy and the 
approach that we take in these resolutions.
  I understand the intention of my friend from Indiana who is a good 
man and who has been consistent in challenging illegal drug trafficking 
into the country, but I also understand that we need to look at the 
approach we are taking and see if this kind of approach is where a 
resolution is going to be most effective.

[[Page 16079]]

  Echoing what Mr. Delahunt said, we need to also take a look very deep 
into our souls about what is driving this demand in this country for 
cocaine.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman's time has expired.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Royce).
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding.
  Concerning, Mr. Speaker, the relationship between Hugo Chavez and 
Iran, let me explain why this is actually problematic, and we had an 
effort to bring pressure at the IAEA. We had the board of governors in 
an attempt by countries to pressure Iran not to go forward with its 
nuclear proliferation program. It was Venezuela, along with Cuba and 
one other country, I think it was Belarus, that voted against that 
effort.
  Why are these points important? In the fall, there will be a seat on 
the Security Council that will open up. Venezuela is actively lobbying 
for that seat.
  In light of this type of conduct, it is quite important that we point 
out the facts about the current efforts with Venezuela.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I have listened to with great interest the rhetoric coming from the 
other side, and now I intend to get to the facts of the matter. So I 
hope my friend from Massachusetts will indulge me and listen to me as 
attentively as I have listened to him.
  First of all, let me just show, we have here a map from the maritime 
authorities, the Joint Interagency Task Force, showing from January 1 
to December 31, 2005, the number of maritime trips involving drug 
activity originating in Venezuela, and it is 385 times.
  Suspected air activity from January 1 to December 31, 2005, again 
from the Joint Interagency Task Force, 137 trips involving drug 
trafficking originating in Venezuela.
  Let me just go through some of the issues that are very, very 
important to this debate.
  First of all, DEA agents in August 2005 were accused of being spies 
for the United States and not doing their job as DEA agents. The fact 
of the matter is that was not the case. Nobody has proven or really 
indicated with any degree of authority that our DEA agents are doing 
anything more than trying to interdict drugs coming into the United 
States.
  We received credible reports that traffickers are paying Venezuelan 
airport authorities a percentage of the money and drugs transported 
through the Simon Bolivar International Airport. Furthermore, the 
government of Venezuela has not taken any steps, any at all, 
unilaterally to prosecute any corrupt airport officials.
  There are estimates that as much as 2,000 kilograms of cocaine and 
200 kilograms of heroin were seized at the Simon Bolivar International 
Airport over the last 12 months. There are almost estimates there are 
10 times that amount of cocaine, perhaps 20 times that amount of 
heroin, could be smuggled through that airport.
  Seizure statistics at the Simon Bolivar Airport are not produced by 
the Venezuelans. The Venezuelan government does not track those 
statistics. Information regarding any seizures at the airport were not 
shared by the Venezuelan government with the DEA last year.

                              {time}  2200

  On April 11, 2006, a commercial plane, which we talked about earlier, 
originating in Caracas was seized in Mexico carrying 5.6 tons, tons of 
cocaine with an estimated street value of $100 million. 
Counternarcotics experts who we consulted agreed a 5.6 ton load of 
cocaine is not a test run. We can only speculate how this route was 
exploited by traffickers previously, how many millions of dollars and 
hundreds of tons of cocaine came through that route. And we know, as I 
said, there were 137 trips on that route last year.
  The Venezuelan government has claimed the interdiction in Mexico was 
the result of a Venezuelan tip-off. That is what they said. So we 
checked. We have received assurances from our intelligence sources and 
other intelligence sources that those claims are categorically false. 
The Mexican police and government found that when that plane landed. 
They were not tipped off by anybody in Venezuela. Quite the contrary. 
The belief is that the Venezuelan people who are working at the airport 
were involved in the transport of these drugs amounting to $100 
billion.
  It is widely reported that the government of Venezuela is providing 
safe haven and logistical support to members of the Revolutionary Armed 
Forces of Colombia, FARC, the FARC guerrillas, which is designated as a 
foreign terrorist organization and was in 1997. And there is strong 
evidence that the Venezuelans are supporting the Revolutionary Armed 
Forces of Colombia, the FARC, with ammunition, safe houses, 
documentation, training, and weapons.
  There is no formal mechanism to designate entities as drug 
trafficking organizations, but links between the FARC and drug 
trafficking were evident as far back as the mid to late 1980s, 
according to our State Department. It is precisely through this support 
for the FARC that we have estimates of as much as half of the Colombian 
cocaine moving to the United States and Europe as passing through 
Venezuela. Almost half of the cocaine coming into this country is 
coming through Venezuela.
  You know, I have had the opportunity, with Mr. Delahunt and Mr. 
Meeks, to go down and meet with President Chavez in Venezuela, and at 
the U.N. in New York. He is a very engaging fellow. He is Clintonesque, 
if you will, in the way he meets people. He was very engaging. I was 
impressed with the fella. When we talked to him about toning down the 
rhetoric that would lead to a better relationship, or a relationship 
between Venezuela and the United States, he said he was going to do 
that. But he didn't.
  Every week on television, for 5 hours, and I watched the tapes and I 
have listened to the translations, he maligns and beats up on not only 
the President but the Secretary of State. He says very demeaning things 
about Condoleezza Rice, our Secretary of State, and they are things 
that don't lead to any kind of a relationship between us and the 
Venezuelan leadership.
  In addition to that, he is tied in very closely and he considers 
Fidel Castro, a Communist leader who wanted to revolutionize all of 
South America, he sent Che Guevara down there back in the 1980s to try 
to destroy any semblance of democracy throughout our hemisphere, and 
Che Guevara was killed. Now Chavez' mentor is Fidel Castro.
  He is also tied in with Daniel Ortega and Mr. Morales of Bolivia, and 
all of these people want to move the South American continent to the 
left. And these are things we cannot tolerate. So the drug trafficking 
is only part of it.
  Regarding Chavez' current trip, he is going to North Korea, he is 
going to Tehran, and he is meeting with what we consider the cabal of 
terrorists. He has also invited these people to visit him in Venezuela. 
In addition, as my colleague from California said a while ago, he is 
buying all kinds of military equipment, which really isn't necessary 
because there is no big threat to him down there, all kinds of military 
equipment to build up a huge military operation in South America and 
Venezuela.
  We have got big problems down there. We want to talk to Mr. Chavez. 
We want to work with Mr. Chavez, but when we say to him we have an 
agreement that we have worked out, and his people hammered out the 
agreement with us, and he said he needed more time, until July 8, and 
you asked me for more time, Mr. Delahunt, we gave them more time, and 
when July 8 came, they would not sign the agreement nor would they give 
us a date certain when they would sign the agreement, and that is why 
this resolution is here on the floor tonight.
  We want to have peace in our hemisphere. We want to work with all the 
presidents in our hemisphere, but we don't want revolution and we 
certainly don't want drugs coming through Venezuela into the United 
States damaging

[[Page 16080]]

American women and children and hurting their families.
  Mr. DELAHUNT. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. I will yield for one question, yes.
  Mr. DELAHUNT. First of all, my friend made a misstatement about 
Chavez going to North Korea, but that is irrelevant to the revolution.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. He is not going to North Korea?
  Mr. DELAHUNT. He is not going to North Korea, but let me focus on 
something.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. He is not going to Tehran, either?
  Mr. DELAHUNT. He has been to Tehran, like Mr. Maliki has been to 
Tehran, and Mr. Zebari and Mr. Chalabi, all of the friends of the 
neoconservative movement, they have lived in Tehran for a considerable 
period of time.
  But let us talk about this today. The rhetoric that we have heard 
about is about terrorists, it is about, this is not within the purview 
of this thing. But I have to tell you something, when this plays down 
in Caracas, like I said in my opening remarks, it is just going to make 
it impossible.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Reclaiming my time, and I just want to say 
this. If there is a problem that has evolved out of this discussion 
tonight, it lays at the feet of Hugo Chavez. It lays at his feet. 
Because there was an agreement that was hammered out between his people 
and the DEA here in the United States. He asked for more time, we gave 
them more time. He wouldn't sign it nor would he give us a date certain 
when he would sign it.
  How long do you wait? How long do you wait for drugs to continue to 
come into the United States before we get an agreement saying we are 
going to allow the DEA to do their job?
  Mr. DELAHUNT. Today is the 26th of July, Mr. Speaker. The 26th of 
July. You know that I, and hopefully accompanied by others, was going 
to go to Caracas this August, have a conversation, and come back with a 
signed agreement. That is the hope. But with this language in this 
particular resolution, I will tell you what we have done. We have 
buried that agreement. And that is a tragedy because drugs will come 
into this country. That is the sadness.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Well, I didn't yield any more time to my 
colleague, he just started talking. But that is okay, I have a high 
regard for him.
  Let me just say once again that we have gone the extra mile on this 
agreement with Mr. Chavez. He wouldn't sign it, nor would he give us a 
date certain when he would sign it. We adhered to my colleague and 
others' requests to extend the time period, he wouldn't sign it, and 
that is why we have this resolution tonight.
  I don't know how it is going to play in Caracas, all I can say is it 
is time we get an agreement, and the DEA needs to be able to do its 
job.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. 
Con. Res. 400, to express my concern that the government of Venezuela 
do what it can to secure its airport facilities from the trafficking of 
illegal goods. It is always essential to restrict the transport of 
these substances and the transport of laundered money from their sales.
  International certifications in airport facilities help to ensure 
that such restrictions are in place. Recent evidence shows a general 
lack of enforcement in Venezuela of the measures necessary to avoid the 
trafficking of narcotics and other controlled substances. Especially in 
light of the discovery in April of a Venezuelan plane filled with 
narcotics en route to Mexico, we must seriously question the compliance 
of Venezuela's airports with such standards. I ask that my colleagues 
join me in requesting that the government of Venezuela exercise more 
effort in the future to ensure the security of their airport 
facilities.
  This resolution would also express our wish to work closely with 
Venezuela and the other nations of this region that are so severely 
affected by this issue to combat the trafficking of narcotics and other 
controlled substances. It is not only out of concern for the welfare of 
our own Nation if illegal substances and laundered money are allowed 
safe passage here; we must also express our concern for the welfare of 
Venezuelans and others around the world. The control of harmful 
substances is an international effort in which we must all take part.
  It should be the policy of the United States to work with the 
international community in ensuring adherence to the Organization of 
American States conventions and comprehensive treaties on narco-
terrorism. This concurrent resolution serves to respect this and to 
assist in a review of the Simon Bolivar International Airport in 
Caracas in particular, in light of recent events.
  I thank my colleagues on the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee of the 
Committee on International Relations for drafting this resolution and 
urge my other colleagues in the House to support this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to revise my previous statement regarding 
H. Con. Res. 400. I rise in opposition to H. Con. Res. 400. While I 
believe the United States should address the issue of drug trafficking 
from Venezuela, this resolution is too harsh a condemnation of the 
Government of Venezuela.
  It should be the goal of the United States to work closely with 
Venezuela and the other nations of this region to combat the 
trafficking of narcotics and other controlled substances. It is not 
only out of concern for the welfare of our own Nation if illegal 
substances and laundered money are allowed safe passage here; we must 
also express our concern for the welfare of Venezuelans and others 
around the world. The control of harmful substances is an international 
effort in which we must all take an active and engaged role.
  I am deeply committed to fighting our international war on drugs. 
However, the United States diplomacy has been entirely too weak in this 
regard, and we must recognize that Venezuela is an ally, not an enemy. 
Our foreign policy must be governed by what is best for the American 
people rather than by what party is in power. Recent evidence shows a 
general lack of enforcement in Venezuela of the measures necessary to 
avoid the trafficking of narcotics and other controlled substances. 
However, instead of delivering a political attack to a nation for a 
lack of customs control in an international airport, we must be 
constructive and pragmatic in our call for stricter enforcement.
  I support the message of this resolution to ensure the compliance of 
the international community with the Organization of American States 
conventions and comprehensive treaties on narco-terrorism. However, we 
would benefit from more constructive engagement in diplomatic relations 
with our allies in the Western Hemisphere rather than simply issuing a 
reprimand.
  I urge my colleagues to vote against this resolution and support 
better diplomatic relations with the Government of Venezuela.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. 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 Indiana (Mr. Burton) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 400, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution, as 
amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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