MR. SPEAKER:

I COMMEND THE GENTLEMAN FROM NEW YORK, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE, MR. GILMAN, FOR

RAISING THE IMPORTANT MATTER OF UNITED STATES SUPPORT FOR COLOMBIA IN THE WAR AGAINST NARCOTICS PRODUCTION IN THAT COUNTRY.

HOWEVER, I MUST RELUCTANTLY OPPOSE THE MEASURE BEFORE US, H.RES. 398, BECAUSE THERE ARE BETTER ALTERNATIVES TO AID THE COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT IN THEIR DRUG-FIGHTING EFFORTS THAN BY SENDING BLACKHAWK UTILITY HELICOPTERS.

MR. SPEAKER, THE UNITED STATES IS FACING A NARCOTICS EPIDEMIC OF TROUBLING DIMENSION, ESPECIALLY WITH HEROIN ADDICTION. RECENT GOVERNMENT ESTIMATES PROJECT THAT WE ADD OVER 141,000 NEW USERS OF HEROIN A YEAR. WITH THE USE OF HEROIN BY AMERICA'S TEENAGERS AT HISTORIC LEVELS, I FIND IT PARTICULARLY TRAGIC THAT MANY OF THESE NEW ADDICTS ARE ONLY CHILDREN, SOME AS YOUNG AS 12 YEARS OF AGE.

ACCORDING TO THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, THE VAST MAJORITY OF HEROIN IN THE U.S. COMES FROM COLOMBIA, WHICH PRODUCES OVER 80 PERCENT OF THE WORLD'S SUPPLY OF COCAINE AS WELL.

THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO STOP THIS FLOW OF NARCOTICS IS TO DESTROY THE GROWING FIELDS OF OPIUM POPPY AND COCA PLANTS AT ITS SOURCE IN COLOMBIA'S ANDES MOUNTAINS, UTILIZING HELICOPTERS. TO THAT EFFECT, I APPLAUD THE COURAGEOUS EFFORTS OF THE COLOMBIAN NATIONAL POLICE AND ITS DIRECTOR GENERAL JOSE SERRANO IN WAGING THE GROUND WAR OF CROP ERADICATION AGAINST NARCO-TERRORISTS. THE WAR HAS TAKEN A HIGH TOLL, WITH OVER 4,000 COLOMBIAN NATIONAL POLICE OFFICERS HAVING SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES.

MR. SPEAKER, I THINK WE ALL AGREE THE UNITED STATES NEEDS TO SUPPORT THE COLOMBIAN NATIONAL POLICE IN THEIR DRUG FIGHTING EFFORTS, WHICH RELY HEAVILY ON HELICOPTERS FOR FIELD OPERATIONS.

HOWEVER, I BELIEVE IT IS CLEARLY MORE COST-EFFECTIVE TO UPGRADE THE PRESENT FLEET OF 36 HUEY (UH-1H) HELICOPTERS USED BY THE COLOMBIAN NATIONAL POLICE, RATHER THAN TO PROVIDE 3 NEW BLACKHAWK (UH-60L) HELICOPTERS. THE BLACKHAWKS PROVIDED IN THE PAST TO THE COLOMBIAN ARMY HAVE PROVEN TO BE A FINANCIAL STRAIN FOR THEIR GOVERNMENT TO MAINTAIN AND OPERATE. FURTHERMORE, THE COLUMBIAN NATIONAL POLICE DOES NOT HAVE PILOTS AND MECHANICS TRAINED TO OPERATE THE BLACKHAWK.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION, MR. SPEAKER, IS THAT THE FUNDS TO PURCHASE THESE BLACKHAWKS, $36 MILLION, MAY WELL JEOPARDIZE OUR IMPORTANT COUNTER-NARCOTICS PROGRAMS IN PERU AND PERHAPS BOLIVIA.

MR. SPEAKER, I URGE OUR COLLEAGUES TO OPPOSE H.RES. 398. THERE ARE BETTER AND MORE COST-EFFECTIVE WAYS TO AID OUR FRIENDS IN COLOMBIA IN FIGHTING THE DRUG WAR WITHOUT PUTTING AT RISK OTHER COUNTER-NARCOTICS PROGRAMS IN LATIN AMERICA.