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Monday, July 24, 2012

Pierluisi Continues to Lead Effort in Congress in Support of Counter-Drug Aerostat in Lajas, Puerto Rico

Washington, DC—Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi announced today that the U.S. House of Representatives has approved the Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2013, which contains language regarding the counter-drug Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS) in Lajas, Puerto Rico that was destroyed in strong weather conditions in August 2011.

Since 1992, the U.S. Air Force has administered the TARS program, which seeks to deter and detect smugglers moving illicit drugs into the United States. There are eight current tethered aerostat systems—six located along the Southwest border; one located in the Florida Keys; and one located in the Caribbean, in Lajas. Data derived from an aerostat’s radar is used by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies to identify and interdict illegal drug shipments.

“This is the third bill this year in which I have secured the inclusion of language urging that action be taken to replace the Lajas aerostat. In addition to this bill, I also worked to obtain language in the Homeland Security Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2013 and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013, both of which were approved by the House in May. These bills direct the federal government to take all appropriate steps to ensure that the TARS program is providing coverage to protect U.S. jurisdictions in the Caribbean region,” said Pierluisi.

“I have also written to the Secretary of the Air Force, urging him to think creatively about ways to replace the Lajas aerostat. In that letter, I pointed out that the aerostat has unique capabilities and that its loss substantially degrades counter-drug operations in the critical Caribbean region,” added the Resident Commissioner.

In April, Pierluisi met with the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Counternarcotics and Global Threats, William Wechsler, to discuss the aerostat and other counter-drug matters.

“I will not stop until we see results. Congress has been giving us consistent support on this issue and I will keep fighting until the aerostat is replaced or until an adequate substitute is identified,” said the Resident Commissioner.

The specific language in the report accompanying the Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2013, approved late last week, is as follows:

“The Committee is aware that internal interagency discussions are again underway related to the administration of the Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS) program. TARS surveillance data is used by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and by the Joint Interagency Task Force-South in support of border security and counter-drug operations. The aerostats, while still under the responsibility of the Air Force, have not been maintained for a number of reasons. However, the Committee believes that an alternative means of supporting operational needs for surveillance data has yet to be deployed. For that reason, the Committee is concerned about the reduced capability, particularly in the Caribbean, and encourages the Secretary of Defense to work with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and other interagency partners to develop a short term solution to address reduced capability as well as the right long term solution—whether that is transfer of assets, repair of current assets, replacement with other technology or capability, or other solutions.”

“The Lajas aerostat is extremely important and its loss is not acceptable. We must find a viable and sustainable solution to this problem,” said Pierluisi.