Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, today we face an international drug problem. Few of us would deny this fact; fewer would stand by idly as the problem grows worse. I rise in support of H.R. 3121, Technical Amendments to Foreign Assistance and Arms Export Control Acts. I wish to thank Chairman Gilman and ranking member Hamilton of the International Relations Committee for their dedicated effort to bring this bill to the floor. I wish to also thank them for adding, at my request, necessary exceptions for Panama to receive foreign military sales to combat the international drug problem. Ambassador and former Congressman Bill Hughes recently alerted me of the importance for the Panamanian public forces to receive United States military assistance. This is not an attempt on our part to rebuild the Panamanian military, but merely an avenue through which we can halt illegal drug trafficking. Costa Rica, for example, is permitted such funding. We are discovering that when a country acquires the tools to fend off this addictive disease, the cure is always within reach. I want to thank my colleagues for their support of this exception and this bill. It is another step toward continuing and escalating our war against drugs.”