mr. chairman , i yield myself such time as i may consume . 
i ask my colleagues for their support on this amendment which would authorize new resources for our drug interdiction efforts . 
i again want to commend the gentleman from illinois ( mr. hyde ) xz4001920 for his assistance in getting this much-needed help for drug interdiction throughout the world . 
the amendment i propose seeks to build on the efforts of the gentleman from illinois ( chairman hyde ) by authorizing the state department 's bureau for international narcotics and law enforcement affairs , inl , to acquire a refueling vessel for the benefit of the u.s. and allied drug interdiction activities , such as the u.s. coast guard and navy , operating in the eastern pacific region . 
that would be the area on the west side of mexico and as you come down through central america . 
according to testimony provided by the coast guard , department of defense , office of national drug control policy , and other agencies to the government reform subcommittee on criminal justice , drug policy and human resources , which i chair , drug traffickers have increasingly pushed their routes into that area further and further west from landfall . 
u.s. vessels have no refueling capability in that area , often coming from san diego , and thus can not operate for any significant length of time . 
the traffickers , by contrast , have developed their own sophisticated refueling system and can now simply bypass our interdiction forces . 
today we face an almost unique situation in drug interdiction history . 
we now have more intelligence about drug trafficking than assets to act on it , meaning that we have to watch helplessly while some shipments of poisonous narcotics are brought to the u.s. the testimony provided to the subcommittee by federal agencies has indicated that the acquisition of a refueling vessel would be of significant benefit in stopping this gaping hole . 
by allowing coast guard and other ships to carry out longer patrols in the eastern pacific region , we will no longer be at such major logistical disadvantage vis-a-vis the drug kingpins . 
moreover , although the amendment authorizes up to $ 25 million for the refueler , it also authorizes inl to purchase or lease the vessel , thus allowing inl to obtain this vital asset at the lowest cost . 
again , i thank the gentleman from illinois ( mr. hyde ) xz4001920 for his leadership and support in the fight against drug trafficking , and i urge my colleagues to support this amendment . 
mr. chairman , i reserve the balance of my time . 
