Bob Beauprez: “I thank the chairman. Miss McMORRIS. Mr. Chairman, the northern portion of my district in Washington State is contiguous…”

“I thank the chairman. Miss McMORRIS. Mr. Chairman, the northern portion of my district in Washington State is contiguous with the United States border with Canada. One of the Indian tribes in my district, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, has for the last several months been experiencing an epidemic of crossborder drug smuggling activity from Canada onto its reservation. I mention this, Mr. Chairman, because since 1990 Congress has funded a very important program that as of late has had a direct impact in fighting this smuggling activity, and I am hopeful that the Congress can again restore the funds in this bill. This program, identified as Lake Roosevelt Management/Enforcement funds in the Bureau of Indian Affairs budget, enables both the Colville Tribe and the Spokane Tribe to employ law enforcement officers to patrol Lake Roosevelt and its shoreline to enforce Federal laws and tribal health and safety laws. Lake Roosevelt is the 151-mile reservoir of the Grand Coulee Dam, the largest hydroelectric power plant in the United States and the third largest in the world. A portion of the dam lies within the boundaries of the Colville Reservation. Currently, the Colville Tribe's law enforcement officials are under increasing strain due to crossborder smuggling activity that is on the rise.…”