Rogers Offers Amendment to Fight the Drug War

Press Release

Today, during consideration of the FY09 Emergency Supplemental appropriations bill, U.S. Congressman Harold "Hal" Rogers (KY-05) offered an amendment to combat the Mexican drug cartels and stem the violence along our southwest borders by providing counterdrug funding to the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice. The amendment was defeated along party lines.

"I offered this amendment to correct severely misplaced priorities," said Rogers. "How, in all good conscience, can we provide increases in foreign assistance - increases that were not requested by the White House - by some $3 billion and, yet, neglect the needs of the domestic law enforcement and border security agencies that are confronting the treacherous drug war on our doorstep? This amendment would have shifted resources from foreign countries and invested in our own security and rule of law right here at home at a time when communities from Atlanta to San Diego are dealing with the spillover affects of this violent drug trade."

The FY09 Emergency Supplemental Bill included no funding for domestic counternarcotics operations or law enforcement operations to address the surging Mexican drug war. Since the beginning of last year, more than 7,000 murders have been committed, including the torture and assassination of numerous Mexican law enforcement officials. Spillover violence from the Mexican drug cartels have been seen in major cities throughout the United States.

Rogers' amendment to fight the drug war totaled $200 million, a mere 6.6%, from the more than $3 billion increase in foreign assistance provided by the FY09 Supplemental. The Rogers amendment would have enhanced a range of critical Justice and Homeland Security programs, including Justice's Organized Crime and Counterdrug Task Force, U.S. Marshals, Customs and Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Coast Guard, and local law enforcement along the border.

As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, Congressman Rogers has a reputation for tough oversight and pushing to deliver the highest level of security in the most efficient and fiscally responsible manner possible.

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