Bill Pascrell: “I supported House Joint Resolution 58 today to decertify Mexico as fully cooperating in the war on drugs. There are few…”

“I supported House Joint Resolution 58 today to decertify Mexico as fully cooperating in the war on drugs. There are few threats to the health and welfare of our country more dangerous than the flood of illegal drugs which is inundating our borders. President Clinton was correct when he decertified Colombia as a fully cooperating partner in the international war on drugs, but his certification of Mexico's efforts is completely unjustified. My constituents and all Americans face a very grave danger from illegal drugs from Mexico. Let's examine just a few of the facts. In each of the last 4 years Mexico has been certified as fully cooperating in the war on drugs. But, in 1993, 50 percent of all the cocaine entering the United States came from Mexico. During this period of fully cooperating, the amount of cocaine entering the United States from Mexico increased by 40 percent. Today, Mexico is the source of 70 percent of all of the cocaine entering the United States. I do not understand how any thinking person can characterize this as fully cooperating.”