Honoring the Men and Women of the Drug Enforcement Administration on its 30th Anniversary
HONORING THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION ON ITS 30TH ANNIVERSARY -- (House of Representatives - March 03, 2004)
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 412) honoring the men and women of the Drug Enforcement Administration on the occasion of its 30th anniversary.
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Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H. Res. 412, the resolution currently under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Wisconsin?
There was no objection.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 10 minutes, half my time, to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), and I ask unanimous consent that he be allowed to yield portions of that time as he sees fit.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Wisconsin?
There was no objection.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, on July 6, 1973, President Richard Nixon first created the Drug Enforcement Administration. The agency was created to address a growing drug problem in the United States. The DEA was the merger of separate law enforcement and intelligence agencies that shared responsibility for enforcing controlled substance laws. At the time, Congress and the administration recognized an increase in the use and the availability of illegal drugs in this country. According to DEA statistics in 1960, only 4 million Americans had ever tried drugs. That number is currently over 74 million.
The DEA continues to defend our Nation from the scourge of illegal drugs. It not only enforces the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States, but the agency also recommends and supports nonenforcement programs aimed at reducing the availability of illicit controlled substances on the domestic and international markets.
This mission is as relevant today as it was 30 years ago when the DEA was created. The families and communities affected by drug abuse recognize the important work that the DEA performs. The DEA's steadfast commitment to bringing drug traffickers to justice is crucial to protecting our communities.
The DEA leads task forces of Federal, State and local law enforcement officials throughout the Nation in a cooperative effort to stop drug trafficking. However, these partnerships are not limited to our borders, as evidenced by the more than 70 field offices worldwide.
The efforts of the DEA domestically and abroad are vital to our national security. The war on terrorism is fought on many fronts, including drug trafficking. It is apparent that there have been connections between the drug trade and terrorist activities. The DEA will continue this fight in an effort to remove another avenue of financing for terrorism.
Today, this Congress recognizes the important work of this agency and thanks its employees, both past and present, for their continued efforts to block the flow of drugs into America's cities and towns. This resolution also acknowledges that the war on drugs is not without loss and gives special recognition to those who have lost their life or who have been injured in pursuit of this noble cause.
I urge my colleagues to support this resolution to honor the men and women who have served, and continue to serve, our country as a part of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Souder).
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Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, while I respect the arguments of the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Paul), even though I do not agree with them, I think it is important to look at what the resolved clause of this resolution says in deciding whether or not to support or oppose the resolution.
I will read it. "Resolved, That the House of Representatives: (1) congratulates the DEA on the occasion of its 30th Anniversary;
"( 2) honors the heroic sacrifice of those of its employees who have given their lives or have been wounded or injured in the service of our Nation; and
"(3) thanks all the men and women of the DEA for their past and continued efforts to defend the American people from the scourge of illegal drugs."
This resolution has nothing to do with drug policy. It has nothing to do with whether the war on drugs has been successful or not. It has nothing to do with whether or not drugs should be legalized. What it does do is to tell the people who have worked for the DEA for the last 30 years that their service has not been in vain executing a policy in criminalizing certain drug activities and use of certain drugs that this Congress has passed.
It also commemorates the people who have given their lives or been wounded in the service of their country. The DEA is a law enforcement agency. We make the laws, they enforce the laws. This resolution gives them thanks for enforcing the laws and commemorating those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. I support the resolution, and I urge Members to support the resolution.
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Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 412, which honors the men and women of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on the occasion of its 30th Anniversary and recognizes the sacrifices of those who have given their lives in the line of duty.
In Hawaii, we are fortunate that such a cohesive law enforcement community exists, with the strong working relationship between the DEA, the United States Attorney's Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, our four county police departments, and the 14 Federal, State, and local agencies which support the Hawaii High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. All work together to pursue and dismantle domestic and international criminal organizations that produce, transport, and distribute illegal substances.
Under the leadership of Briane M. Grey, Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge of the Honolulu District Office, the office advocates the same multi-pronged approach that I firmly believe is the solution to our drug abuse problem: combining strong enforcement, with education, prevention, and treatment efforts. For example, through its partnerships with the Counties of Kauai and Hawaii, the DEA's Demand Reduction Program educates many of our young people on the dangers of drugs.
In my home State, the unfortunate drug of choice today is crystal methamphetamine, also known as ice. High purity ice, ranging from 96 percent to 99 percent, is all too readily available, and commonly abused throughout our State. In Hawaii, ice users have been linked to violent crimes including child abuse, hostage situations, and homicides. The DEA has been a strong and valuable force in our fight against the scourge of ice.
In August 2003, the Honolulu DEA's Operation Jetway Task Force was notified of three parcels suspected of carrying ice. Pursuant to a search warrant, approximately 15.9 pounds of ice, worth more than $1 million were seized from two of the parcels, and approximately $65,000 in cash was seized from the third parcel. Later that same month, the task force seized approximately 674 grams of ice from the inside jacket pocket of an individual traveling from Los Angeles to Honolulu.
I would like to extend a very special mahalo (thank you) to the 15 Special Agents, 17 Task Force Officers, 2 Intelligence Analysts, 2 Diversion Investigators, and 2 Administrative Staff in our DEA Honolulu District Office. The district extends DEA's presence with personnel assigned to offices on the islands of Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii, as well as offices in Guam and Saipan. I know that the Honolulu District Office will continue to initiate drug investigations targeting the highest level traffickers, and for that we are all very grateful.
Again, congratulations to the DEA on its 30th anniversary.
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Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.