[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 19]
[House]
[Pages 26184-26186]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THAT VIOLENCE POSES AN INCREASINGLY SERIOUS THREAT TO PEACE 
                    AND STABILITY IN CENTRAL AMERICA

  Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 564) recognizing that violence poses an 
increasingly serious threat to peace and stability in Central America 
and supporting expanded cooperation between the United States and the 
countries of Central America to combat crime and violence, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 564

       Whereas murder rates have been increasing throughout 
     Central America in recent years;
       Whereas in 2005, the estimated murder rate per 100,000 
     people was roughly 56 in El Salvador, 41 in Honduras, and 38 
     in Guatemala;
       Whereas the February 2007 murder of 3 Salvadoran 
     legislators from the Central American parliament and the 
     subsequent murder in prison of the Guatemalan policemen 
     linked to the crime clearly illustrated to the international 
     community the threat posed by violence in Central America;
       Whereas a May 2007 report by the United Nations Office on 
     Drugs and Crime (UNODC) makes the case that Central American 
     countries are particularly vulnerable to violent crimes 
     fueled by drug trafficking and corruption because they are 
     geographically located between the world's largest drug 
     producing and drug consuming countries;
       Whereas 90 percent of the cocaine shipped from the Andes to 
     the United States flows through Central America and thus 
     contributes to increased violence on the Central American 
     isthmus;
       Whereas Central American governments and United States 
     officials have attributed a large proportion of the rise in 
     violent crime in Central America to youth gangs, many of 
     which have ties to the United States;
       Whereas UNODC estimates that there are 69,145 gang members 
     in Central America;
       Whereas on June 7, 2005, the Organization of American 
     States (OAS) passed a resolution to urge member states to 
     support the creation of holistic solutions to the gang 
     problem;
       Whereas Guatemala has experienced a surge in female murders 
     during the past 3 years, with many of those murders allegedly 
     committed by drug traffickers and other organized criminal 
     groups;
       Whereas violence between partners, particularly violence by 
     men against their wives or girlfriends, is widespread in 
     Central America and an International Violence Against Women 
     Survey comparing selected countries in Africa, Latin America, 
     Europe, and Asia found that 60 percent of women in Costa 
     Rica--often considered the least violent country in Central 
     America--reported having experienced domestic violence during 
     their lives;
       Whereas the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the 
     Western Hemisphere held a briefing and hearing on June 26, 
     2007, on violence in Central America;
       Whereas the Guatemalan government and the United Nations 
     signed a groundbreaking agreement in December 2006 to 
     establish the International Commission Against Impunity in 
     Guatemala (CICIG) which was approved by the country's 
     legislature on August 1, 2007;
       Whereas the Central American Integration System (SICA) is 
     an inter-governmental organization formed in 1991 comprised 
     of the following member states: Belize, Costa Rica, El 
     Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama;
       Whereas the Dominican Republic participates in SICA as an 
     Associate Member State;
       Whereas SICA and the United States held their first ever 
     Dialogue on Democratic Security in Guatemala City from July 
     16 through 18, 2007, which focused on gangs, drug 
     trafficking, and arms trafficking;
       Whereas SICA and the United States signed an agreement at 
     this meeting to improve intelligence sharing and policing and 
     to institutionalize dialogue on regional security;
       Whereas this meeting was the first time in almost a quarter 
     century that high level officials from the United States and 
     all 7 Central American countries and the Dominican Republic 
     have met formally to discuss security issues;
       Whereas United States Assistant Secretary of State for 
     Western Hemisphere Affairs Thomas Shannon announced at this 
     meeting the United States Strategy to Combat Criminal Gangs 
     from Central America and Mexico designed to prevent youth 
     from entering gangs and strengthen the fight against gang-
     related violence and other crimes;
       Whereas Assistant Secretary Shannon recognized at this 
     meeting that youth gang delinquency ``has profound social 
     roots and our way of fighting it cannot only be through 
     policing'';
       Whereas the United States pledged $1,000,000 at this 
     meeting to help Central American governments draft a regional 
     strategy to fight youth gangs and drug trafficking and 
     $3,000,000 to fund rehabilitation programs for youths in 
     gangs; and
       Whereas an enhanced political commitment and cooperation 
     between the United States and Central America on security 
     issues can help curb violence in Central America: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved,  That it is the sense of the House of 
     Representatives that--
       (1) crime and violence pose an increasingly serious threat 
     to peace and stability in Central America;
       (2) officials from Central America and the United States 
     should be commended for holding a historic meeting to discuss 
     regional security strategies;
       (3) the announcement on July 18, 2007, of the United States 
     Strategy to Combat Criminal Gangs from Central America and 
     Mexico should be commended;
       (4) the President of the United States should follow 
     through on commitments made in the United States Strategy to 
     Combat Criminal Gangs from Central America and Mexico with 
     concrete actions;
       (5) the commitment of funds by the United States to fight 
     youth gangs in Central America is an important step forward 
     and greater resources should be considered in the future to 
     fight this problem due to its severity and its transnational 
     nature; and
       (6) Central American and United States officials should be 
     encouraged to meet on a regular basis to further cooperation 
     in combating crime and violence in Central America.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Sherman) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. SHERMAN. 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.

[[Page 26185]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution 
and yield myself as much time as I may consume.
  I want to thank our colleagues, Congressman Eliot Engel and Dan 
Burton, the Chair and ranking member respectively of the Western 
Hemisphere Subcommittee, for introducing this important legislation.
  The measure brings a long overdue spotlight to the serious and 
growing problem of violence in Central America. The February murder of 
3 Salvadoran legislators and the subsequent shocking murder in prison 
of the Guatemalan policeman linked to the crime illustrate the very 
real daily threat posed by violence in this region.
  While this high-profile incident brought violence into the spotlight, 
it is unfortunately nothing new. In recent years, murder rates have 
been increasing throughout Central America. In 2005, the estimated 
murder rate per 100,000 people was roughly 56 in El Salvador, 41 in 
Honduras, and 38 in Guatemala. These rates are extraordinarily high by 
international standards.
  Much of the violence in Central America is closely related to drug 
trafficking. A report released by the United Nations in May argues that 
Central American countries are particularly vulnerable to violent 
crimes, fueled by drug trafficking, because they are geographically 
located between South America and the United States; in other words, 
between the world's largest drug-producing and the world's largest 
drug-consuming countries or areas. In fact, 90 percent of the cocaine 
shipped from the Andean region to the United States flows through 
Central America. This clearly plays a major role in triggering violence 
in the region.
  If drugs are the primary factor in the scourge of violence, youth 
gangs are a close second. There's estimated to be about 70,000 youth 
gang members in Central America. Many of these gangs have ties to the 
United States and pose threats to security in our own communities.

                              {time}  1145

  We are beginning to address this violence crisis. The United States 
and Central American officials have started to work together to combat 
violence in Central America, but more needs to be done. This July, 
high-level officials from the United States and all seven Central 
American countries met to discuss security in the region, particularly 
addressing gangs, drug trafficking and arms trafficking. This meeting 
marked the first time in almost a quarter century that high-level 
officials from the United States and all the countries of Central 
America met formally to discuss security issues.
  At the meeting, the State Department announced the U.S. strategy to 
combat criminal gangs from Central America and Mexico and pledged $4 
million to help Central America deal with the youth gang issue. I 
applaud this meeting and the State Department's initiative and 
encourage Central American countries to go beyond a police-based 
approach and address the social roots of violent crime.
  With passage of the important measure today, the United States 
Congress will recognize that violence poses an increasingly serious 
threat to peace and stability in Central America. This resolution 
encourages Central American and U.S. officials to meet on a regular 
basis to enhance further cooperation in curbing violence in the region.
  The measure also recognizes the U.S. has a commitment of $4 million 
to tackle this problem, and that is a welcome start. But, importantly, 
this resolution notes that greater resources should be considered in 
the future to fight the problem of violence in Central America.
  Our friends in Central America are great and close allies, and we 
should do everything we can to bring stability to these societies and 
to end excessive violence. That is why I urge all Members to support 
this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support today of H. Res. 564 and join my 
colleagues in recognizing the efforts taken by the United States and 
seven Central American countries to confront gang violence in Central 
America.
  The tragic nature of gang violence in Central America threatens the 
peace and stability of its neighbors to the north and to the south. 
Geographically located between the world's largest drug-producing and 
drug-consuming countries, Central America faces a seemingly 
insurmountable problem when forced to counter gang violence on its own.
  For this reason, I was pleased to see that earlier this year, the 
United States and seven Central American countries took the first step 
towards finding an international solution to the growing level of 
violence in Central America by holding the first-ever dialogue on 
democratic security in Guatemala City.
  As the transnational nature of gangs causes crime and violence in 
Central America to bleed into the United States, this resolution 
recognizes the importance of a continuing United States involvement and 
commitment of funds towards dealing with youth gangs in Central 
America.
  Gangs have become more organized, more violent, and affect North 
America, Central America and South America. It also encourages Central 
America and U.S. officials to meet on a regular basis for further 
cooperation in combating crime and violence and commends these 
countries for taking the first step in the struggle for security by 
developing the United States' strategy to combat criminal gangs from 
Central America and Mexico.
  While I am pleased to see the progress made this year, I also 
recognize the grave importance of sustaining these efforts while 
increasing our understanding of the roots of this epidemic. I look 
forward to our continued cooperation with our neighbors to the south 
and once again applaud the efforts already taken to counter this 
increasing threat to peace and security in our region.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to one of the co-authors 
of this legislation, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee 
on the Western Hemisphere, Mr. Engel.
  Mr. ENGEL. I thank my friend from California.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my House Resolution 
564, which brings attention to the serious and growing problem of 
violence in Central America.
  I first want to thank my colleague and the ranking member on the 
Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, Dan Burton, for introducing this 
resolution with me. I also want to thank Chairman Lantos and Ranking 
Member Ros-Lehtinen for their support of this bill.
  The February murder of 3 Salvadoran legislators in the Central 
American Parliament and the subsequent shocking murder in prison of the 
Guatemalan policeman linked to the crime illustrate the very real daily 
threat posed by violence in Central America. While this high-profile 
incident brought violence in Central America to a spotlight, it is, 
unfortunately, nothing new.
  Homicide rates in El Salvador and Guatemala are higher today than 
they were in those countries' civil wars. According to government 
statistics, Guatemala's murder rate has doubled since 1999.
  As chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee of the House 
Foreign Affairs Committee, I focus intently on violence in Central 
America and the roots of this violence. At a recent hearing that I 
chaired on this topic, I was taken aback by the major role that drug 
trafficking plays in encouraging violence in the sub-region.
  Ninety percent of the cocaine shipped from the Andean region to the 
United States flows through Central America. The sub-region's location 
between the highest drug-consuming and the highest drug-producing 
regions of the world make it particularly vulnerable. Unfortunately, we 
are the highest drug-consuming portion of that equation.

[[Page 26186]]

  If drugs are the primary factor in this scourge of violence, youth 
gangs are a close second. The U.S. Southern Command has estimated that 
there are 70,000 gang members in Central America alone. Fortunately, we 
are beginning to address this crisis. The United States and Central 
American officials have started to work together to combat violence in 
Central America; but, obviously, much more needs to be done.
  This resolution recognizes the recent progress that has been made in 
enhancing U.S.-Central American cooperation and combating violence in 
Central America. The seven countries of Central America, the Dominican 
Republic and the United States held its first-ever dialogue on 
democratic security in Guatemala City this July. That meeting was the 
first time in almost a quarter century that high-level officials from 
the United States and all of these countries met formally to discuss 
security issues.
  At this meeting, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere 
Affairs, Tom Shannon, announced that the U.S. strategy to combat 
criminal gangs from Central America and Mexico was beginning. The 
United States also pledged $4 million in assistance to help Central 
Americans begin to address this issue.
  This resolution commends U.S. and Central American officials for 
their joint efforts to combat violence and encourages greater 
cooperation in the future. In the coming days, the Bush administration 
will present Congress with a plan to assist Mexico and Central America 
in dealing with issues of crime and violence, particularly as they 
relate to counternarcotics.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues from the State 
Department and Central America as we begin to shape a future assistance 
package that will address violence in Central America.
  Finally, I want to point to one area of progress that we have seen 
since this resolution was first introduced in July.
  On August 1, Guatemala's legislature approved the international 
commission against impunity. This is a groundbreaking agreement between 
the Guatemalan Government and the United Nations to combat impunity in 
Guatemala. It is a major step for all of us who care so deeply about 
curbing violence in Central America, and I want to congratulate my 
colleagues in the Guatemalan Congress and the executive branch on this 
major accomplishment.
  Let me say in closing that one of the things I have noticed as 
chairman is the feeling of neglect in the hemisphere that the other 
nations feel that the United States is not concentrating on this 
region, that we are looking elsewhere in the world. I think that this 
resolution and what we are doing goes a long way in combating that 
feeling.
  I urge my colleagues to support House Resolution 564.
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend Mr. Engel, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res 564, 
and would like to take this opportunity to commend the countries in 
Central America that have pooled their time and expertise to discuss 
common goals through the Central American Integration System (SICA)--
which is an inter-governmental organization comprised of Belize, Costa 
Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama (with the 
Dominican Republic as an Associate Member).
  I would also like to commend the United States government for its 
effort in addressing the issues of gangs, drug trafficking, and arms 
trafficking through the Dialogue on Democratic Security that was held 
with the Central American Integration System countries in Guatemala 
City this past July.
  Violence in Central America is a grave threat to the entire region. 
Recent numbers from the Andes and parts of Central America show that 
the murder rate is above 40 per 100,000 people, and does not appear to 
be on the decline. The increasing prevalence of violence in this region 
raises serious concerns with high levels of insecurity and weak state 
capacity to deal with criminal activity. The transport of drugs and 
widespread gang activity create additional problems that must be 
tackled sooner rather than later.
  It is this reason why I support H. Res 564, commending action taken 
to Combat Criminal Gangs from Central America and Mexico and 
encouraging regular meetings in which countries can build on existing 
cooperation toward this end.
  I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 564, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________