REPORTS

• Eight Steps to Counter the Drug Trade in West Africa

Report recommends how U.S. policymakers can support our allies in countering illicit activities surrounding the West African drug trade.

• The Buck Stops Here: U.S. Anti-Money Laundering Practices
Report outlines how Congress and the Obama Administration can combat transnational organized crime by strengthening anti-money laundering laws and regulations in the United States.

• Preventing a Security Crisis in the Caribbean

Report provides recommendations on how the United States government can support Caribbean nations in avoiding the high levels of violence and drug trafficking faced by Mexico and Central America

• Reducing the U.S. Demand for Illegal Drugs

Report outlines key steps that the Obama Administration and Congress can take to reduce the massive U.S. demand for illegal drugs. In 2010, about 9 percent of Americans aged 12 and older were current illegal drug users. This is the highest rate of illegal drug use in the past decade.

• Responding to Violence in Central America

Report argues that Central America is at a dangerous crossroads and calls for security in the subregion to become a greater priority across all U.S. government agencies.

• Halting U.S. Firearms Trafficking to Mexico
  
  Report urges Congress and the Administration to strengthen firearms laws to stem drug-related violence, citing new data showing that 70% of weapons recovered in Mexico originated from the United States.

• U.S. and Mexican Responses to Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations
  
  Report outlines key steps needed to combat Mexico’s brutal drug trafficking organizations and reduce violence in the country.

• U.S. Counternarcotics Strategy in Afghanistan
  
  This July 2010 report by the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control states that the Taliban’s transformation into a drug cartel cannot be ignored, because it provides the terrorist organization with a massive source of financing that puts the U.S. mission in Afghanistan at risk.  The report argues that if we ignore the drug problem in Afghanistan, we will fail in Afghanistan.
  

LEGISLATION

• Border Tunnel Prevention Act of 2011 (S.1236)

This bill would provide law enforcement and prosecutors additional tools to locate border tunnels, identify criminals, and punish those involved in illegal activity.  This act would establish punishments for the use, construction or financing of a border tunnel, even in cases where a tunnel was not fully constructed.  It would also include illegal tunneling as an offense eligible for Title III wiretaps and would allow authorities to seize assets in border tunnel cases.  The Border Tunnel Prevention Act of 2011 also outlines a requirement to notify property owners and tenants in high risk tunneling zones along the Southwest border of laws related to the construction of illegal border tunnels and provide procedures for reporting violations of such laws to authorities.

• Transnational Drug Trafficking Act of 2011 (S.1612)

The Transnational Drug Trafficking Act of 2011 provides new tools for the Justice Department to combat the international drug trade.  The bill puts in place penalties for extraterritorial drug trafficking activity when individuals have “reasonable cause to believe” that illegal drugs will be trafficked into the United States.  Current law states that drug traffickers must “know” that illegal drugs will be trafficked into the United States and this legislation lowers the knowledge threshold to “reasonable cause to believe.”  Drug traffickers from Colombia, Ecuador and Peru produce cocaine in their countries but leave transit of cocaine to the United States in the hands of Mexican drug trafficking organizations such as the Zetas.  Under current law, our ability to prosecute source-nation traffickers from these countries is limited since there is often no direct evidence of their knowledge that illegal drugs were intended for the United States. 

• Saving Kids from Dangerous Drugs Act of 2011 (S.513)

This bill targets drug dealers who use flavorings or marketing to increase the drugs’ appeal to children.  It provides enhanced penalties of up to 10 years for any adult who manufactures a controlled substance combined with a beverage or candy product, markets that substance to appear similar to a beverage or candy product or modifies the flavoring of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute it to children under 18 years old.

 

• Dangerous Synthetic Drug Control Act of 2011 (S.605)

This legislation permanently bans chemicals commonly used in synthetic drugs similar to marijuana known as “Spice,” and “K2,” among other names.  Given the increase in synthetic marijuana across the country, this legislation would permanently ban the chemicals used to make the drug, treating K2 like other banned narcotics.  This bill also increases the time the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services have to ban substances on an emergency basis from 18 months to 36 months allowing dangerous products to more quickly be removed from the market.

• National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month Resolution (S.RES.261)

This resolution – which passed the Senate unanimously – designates October 2011 as National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month.  In light of increasing non-medical use of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, this resolution encourages communities and parents to promote the message that these drugs should only be used for their intended medical use.  It also encourages the safe disposal of unused medication.