Washington, D.C.--Congressman Eliot Engel, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, met Wednesday with White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Director Gil Kerlikowske to discuss U.S. domestic and international drug control policies.

Rep. Engel said, “I had an excellent conversation with Director Kerlikowske today. I was extremely pleased when President Obama chose him as Drug Czar, and I am already impressed by the first-rate work he is doing. In our meeting, I emphasized the need to invest more heavily in drug prevention and treatment programs in the United States, while developing a more holistic, integrated approach to our supply-side counternarcotics policies.”

The 11-term Congressman added, “I applaud Director Kerlikowske’s approach to drug policy, which is increasingly focused on reducing our domestic demand for drugs.”

The two also discussed H.R. 2134, the Western Hemisphere Drug Policy Commission Act of 2009, authored by Rep. Engel and approved by the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere on October 15.

H.R. 2134 will create an independent commission to evaluate U.S. policies and programs aimed at reducing illicit drug supply and demand. The Western Hemisphere Drug Policy Commission will be required to submit recommendations on future U.S. drug policy to Congress, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Defense and the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), 12 months after its first meeting.