Mark Kirk: “Thank you. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would provide this critical platform to give the tools necessary for Drug…”

“Thank you. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would provide this critical platform to give the tools necessary for Drug Enforcement Agency to be the most effective they can be against Afghan drug kingpins. We already have 120 dedicated drug enforcement personnel on the ground helping Afghan police to carry out this mission. Chairman Hyde, Chairman Ileana Ros- Lehtinen, and I have backed this amendment because we feel it is critical for DEA to have these tools now to apply the lessons learned in Colombia to build a success in the coming operations in Afghanistan. It is also important to note that this House supported amendments to the PATRIOT Act, which now make it a crime to deal in heroin for the support of terror without the need to show a connection to the U.S. market. We have seen Afghan drug dealers and terrorists killing U.S. troops, including two from the 10th Mountain Division, and this tool and the legal authorities that the House just provided are critical in helping force protection and adding to the tools that we need to continue this conflict in the most effective way. So with that, I urge adoption of this amendment. It is a modest addition to this bill and provides a critical tool that will very quickly, dramatically assist in DEA's operation in Afghanistan.”