On the recordDecember 21, 2010
As an original cosponsor of H.R. 4748, I urge passage of this important homeland security bill so that it can be sent to the President for signature. H.R. 4748, as amended by the Senate, would require the Director of National Drug Control Policy, ONDCP, to work with Federal, state, local, and international law enforcement to develop a comprehensive plan to prevent drug trafficking across the Northern Border. The bill requires the strategy to include clear recommendations for better coordination and assistance for tribal law enforcement agencies. More often than not, when I hear someone lament about our 'broken borders,' they are talking about the Southern Border. While certainly the high-profile drug cartel violence and human smuggling activities warrant significant attention, we must not overlook the fact that there are significant border security challenges to the north, as well. In recent years, a diverse array of traffickers ranging from outlaw motorcycle gangs to Canadian drug rings have exploited the long, sparsely populated and very wooded border to traffic in large quantities of marijuana, ecstasy, and methamphetamines.
