Rodney Frelinghuysen: “For years, the production and trafficking of heroin in Afghanistan has provided an important source of revenue to the…”

“For years, the production and trafficking of heroin in Afghanistan has provided an important source of revenue to the Taliban and other antigovernment forces in the region. It is estimated the Taliban receives between $70 million and $100 million per year from the illicit drug trade. Regional heroin trafficking is also fueling corruption and impeding legitimate economic activity critical for Afghans' continued development and stability. $140.8 million was requested to provide direct counternarcotic support for Afghanistan. It is badly needed. These activities directly support the activities of the Department of Defense Operation Freedom's Sentinel by building their capacity and neighboring countries' capacities, their counternarcotics force, to disrupt illicit trafficking and deny proceeds from being used to fund terrorists' insurgent activities. Funds support the training and equipping of special Afghan units, including their counternarcotics police as well as their national interdiction unit. It is important. Allowing more illicit narcotics cultivation and trade to continue, without any methods or action to counter or interdict it, would be a total disaster, a total mistake. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky), the ranking member, for any comments he may wish to make.”