E. Clay Shaw, Jr.: “I would also like to correct a statement made by the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, that…”

“I would also like to correct a statement made by the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, that interdiction is not working. For every dollar that we spend on the interdiction effort, we are taking $20 of street value out of the system. I do not know of anywhere in the Federal budget we are getting more bang for the buck. I do not know anywhere we have to do more than in eradication in the source countries. Let us wake up. We have to attack this drug war on every front. Education is important. I agree on that. Treatment is important. I agree on that. Also, our foreign efforts are tremendously important. As the gentleman from New York [Mr. Rangel] said, and I think quite courageously, and I would say this to our Democrat friends, never in this Congress has fighting a drug war been a partisan issue. We have worked together, we have worked shoulder to shoulder in this Congress, in trying to do a better job on all fronts. Let us not make this a partisan issue.”