Pete Domenici: “this amendment to the foreign operations appropriations bill asks that $5 million of the funding appropriated for…”

“this amendment to the foreign operations appropriations bill asks that $5 million of the funding appropriated for international narcotics control be allocated out of existing funds for the establishment of an international law enforcement training academy [ILEA] for the Western Hemisphere. The State Department set up the International Law Enforcement Academy in Budapest, Hungary, in 1995 and has since trained 300 law enforcement officials. This amendment would establish a similar international law enforcement training academy but for the Western Hemisphere and for which the President requested in his 1998 budget. Mr. President, the allocated funds would be for operations of such an academy and a facility would need to be found. I understand that the State Department has been trying to find such a facility for the past year, but we have not reached an agreement among Latin American countries. My amendment would allow the academy to be established in consultation with the Organization of American States, representing our Central and Latin American neighbors. Mr. President, I do not have to explain the terrorist and narcotic threats in this hemisphere. The ILEA is a way for the United States to establish law enforcement networks that lead to a more effective approach to fighting international organized crime and drug trafficking.”