Honoring the men and women of the Drug Enforcement Administration on the occasion of its 35th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 369. This concurrent resolution does honor the men and women of the Drug Enforcement Administration on the occasion of its 35th anniversary.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, or DEA, was created by President Nixon in July 1973. The DEA was established to create a single unified command to conduct ``an all-out global war on the drug menace.''

The DEA has the core mission to enforce U.S. controlled substances laws that regulate drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, Ecstasy and controlled prescription drugs. Initially, the DEA had 1,470 special agents and a budget of less than $75 million. Its foreign presence consisted of 43 foreign offices in 31 countries. Since that time the DEA has grown substantially and is now 5,235 special agents, a budget of more than $2.3 billion, and 87 foreign offices in 63 countries.

I have personally seen them at work, both here and abroad, and know that the DEA agents are on the front lines of our war on drugs. They are courageous individuals, and they are to be honored and commended.

DEA special agents work to track and identify the individuals and organized crime syndicates that grow, manufacture and traffic drugs into the U.S. To accomplish that mission, the DEA manages a national drug intelligence program by cooperating with Federal, State, local and foreign officials to collect, analyze and disseminate strategic and operational drug intelligence information. The DEA and its multi- jurisdictional partners form task forces that use this intelligence to plan highly successful operations.

In May, a DEA-led task force completed an investigation called ``Operation Sudden Fall'' in San Diego. This investigation resulted in the arrest of 96 individuals, including 75 San Diego State University students who were involved with the trafficking of cocaine, marijuana and Ecstasy on the university's campus.

As the plague of drugs has become more pervasive, the DEA has also increased its international efforts to combat drug trafficking abroad. The DEA coordinates with the United Nations, Interpol and foreign governments to develop programs designed to reduce the availability of illicit drugs in the United States such as crop eradication, crop substitution and training of foreign officials.

These international efforts bring significant results. Recently, Colombia extradited 14 members of a paramilitary and drug trafficking group to the United States to face charges of drug trafficking, support to a terrorist organization, and money laundering.

In June, the DEA worked with partners in Afghanistan to conduct Operation Albatross. This effort resulted in the seizure of 262 tons of hashish, the largest of any known drug seizure in history.

As H. Con. Res. 369 notes, in this decade alone, DEA agents have seized over 5,500 kilograms of heroin, 650,000 kilograms of cocaine, 2.3 million kilograms of marijuana, 13,000 kilograms of methamphetamine, almost 80 million dosage units of hallucinogens, and made over 240,000 arrests. This is a tremendous amount of poison that they have prevented from entering our fellow citizens.

In supporting this resolution, I join my colleagues in, one, congratulating the DEA on the occasion of its 35th anniversary; two, honoring the heroic sacrifice of the agency's employees who have given their lives or have been wounded or injured in service of our Nation; and three, giving heartfelt thanks to all of the men and women of the DEA for their past and continued efforts to defend the American people from the scourge of illegal drugs and terrorism.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, at this time I have no other speakers.

I reserve the remainder of my time.

With that, Mr. Speaker, we would urge our colleagues to join us in this resolution's support.

My friend from Ohio will be managing the next two bills, the Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act, and the one to follow. Before I finish yielding back my time, I would like to express my thanks to my friend from California, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, the ranking member of Judiciary, as well as our chairman in Crime, Bobby Scott, on the Debbie Smith reauthorization. I will not be here to be able to speak on that, but I am so grateful we were able to keep that from being overly burdened with things that would keep it from achieving its goal which, here again, helps everybody, including the DEA agents, when we do that job properly. I'm so grateful that we're going to be able to take that up and get that done today.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 369) honoring the men and women of the Drug Enforcement Administration on the occasion of its 35th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the brave men and women of the Drug Enforcement Administration on the occasion of its 35th anniversary. The DEA's employees include not only the special agents, but intelligence analysts, diversion investigators, program analysts, forensic chemists, attorneys and administrative support staff, together with task force officers and vetted foreign officials. These men and women work tirelessly to hunt down and bring to justice the drug trafficking cartels that profit by poisoning our citizens with dangerous narcotics.

The DEA and its dedicated officers have served our Nation with courage, vision and determination, protecting all Americans from the scourge of drug trafficking, drug abuse and related violence. It is fitting that we recognize their accomplishments and express our gratitude for their service.

Throughout its 35 years, the DEA has combated the evolving trends of drug trafficking by aggressively targeting both domestic and international organizations involved in the unlawful growing, manufacturing and distribution of such substances as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, Ecstasy and controlled prescription drugs. These successes are unfortunately not without tragic costs.

Over its history, more than 75 DEA employees and task force members have given their lives in the line of duty, with many others wounded. During the time I served with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles, I had many, many occasions to work with DEA officers. I saw the professionalism of their work, their determination, their bravery and courage.

For some time I worked on the investigation into the capture, murder and torture of Enrique Camarena and, along with my colleagues, worked to investigate and bring to justice some of those that were responsible for the death of that courageous agent. So I have great personal regard for the many employees of the DEA, their proud history and the great work they do.

It is a commitment to duty almost too great to ask of anyone, yet these dedicated men and women of the DEA and their families face the risks and endure the hardships to make our Nation safer for all of us.

And so, Mr. Speaker, this resolution is a well-deserved tribute to the DEA on the occasion of its 35th anniversary.

I urge my colleagues to support it, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).

I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, at this time it gives me great pleasure to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Ruppersberger).

Mr. Speaker, just to conclude on the legislation recognizing the 35th anniversary of the DEA, I recall very well the loss of two DEA agents in the City of San Marino, very close to my district, back when I was with the U.S. Attorney. They were involved in a buy-bust. It was a small amount of drugs, a small amount of money, I think amounting to some $35,000. These two agents, one was killed in a shoot-out with the drug dealers, the other shot at point-blank range execution style when these young drug dealers decided they would rather keep the $35,000 and kill two people for it.

This is the kind of risk the DEA agents face every day. We're extraordinarily grateful to have such courageous men and women working within the agency. I urge the passage of the recognition bill.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Thank you for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the men and women of the Drug Enforcement Administration on the occasion of their 35th anniversary. We must take every opportunity to honor our brave law enforcement officers, but we often forget the critical importance of the DEA and the terrible dangers that their officers face in order to keep our streets safe from drugs. When you look at the list of those who have given their lives, Mr. Speaker, we know how serious this is. And we have this issue occur on our streets every day.

I want to congratulate the DEA acting administrator, Michele M. Leonhart, for leading this commendable agency through its 35th year. I want to give great thanks to Gerald McAleer, Special Agent in charge of the DEA New Jersey division, for all of the tremendous work he's done to team with local law enforcement in order to provide the most effective level of security against drugs in our neighborhoods.

Just 3 days ago, the DEA in New Jersey teamed with Passaic County Prosecutor James F. Avigliano to arrest six individuals affiliated with the Trey 9 set of the Bloods street gang who were peddling large quantities of drugs in Newark, Parsippany, and in my town of Paterson, New Jersey. These arrests were executed as part of New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine's Crime Initiative to target criminal gangs, drugs, and guns.

This particular 35-day investigation was initiated by the prosecutor's office of gang/narcotics task force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Office, and the Clifton Police Department, proving once again that our greatest level of homeland security can only come from Federal, State, and local enforcement agencies working in this partnership.

In regards to the DEA's efforts in this high-profile drug bust, I can provide no greater testament to the urgency of the work than by quoting Prosecutor James Avigliano who stated this: ``Without the outstanding cooperation with the DEA Newark office, we would have been unable to arrest six major gang leaders and confiscate a substantial quantity of narcotics. The assistance provided by the DEA is key to our continued success in taking high level dealers and large quantities of drugs off the street.''

It is due to the critical nature of their work that I am very thankful that we saw fit to approve much-needed funding of the DEA in last year's Consolidated Appropriations Act that put 200 more agents on the street after having to endure a long hiring freeze in previous years. No justification for that whatsoever, Mr. Speaker.

We must do more to honor the DEA and I pledge my full support.

Mr. Speaker, let me plead with you and my fellow Members on both sides of the aisle that there is no greater threat to the United States of America than the undermining of our will and our morale with the issuing of drugs through proliferation through our streets. There is no greater danger, Mr. Speaker. I cannot say it enough. The DEA understands that. Hopefully the Congress will come to understand it as well.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support and recognition of House Resolution 369 honoring the men and women of the Drug Enforcement Administration on the occasion of its 35th anniversary.

For the last 35 years, the men and women of the DEA have served their country with distinction and honor while fighting one of the most dangerous problems this country faces today. Drug use and the violence associated with drug trafficking touches every American's life in some way or another. The men and women of the DEA are working tirelessly every day to prevent drugs from coming into the United States and to prevent or dismantle the manufacturing and distribution of drugs within our borders. This is no easy task.

The DEA consistently adapts to changes in the drug trade. From dismantling illegal Internet pharmacies to identifying new trends in manufacturing and distribution, the DEA is and must be at the top of their game. Because the DEA has the greatest presence overseas of any Federal law enforcement agency, diplomacy and collaboration with the leadership of drug-producing countries, like Colombia, is essential for their efforts to be effective. The men and women of the DEA are up to the challenge.

The over 9,000 employees of the DEA are an asset to the country, and I'm proud to honor them every day. They are in very dangerous places putting their lives on the line every day. I want to thank them for their dedication and their commitment to the agency and our country. I urge my colleagues to support the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 369, honoring the men and women of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration on the occasion of its 35th Anniversary.

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to visit the DEA's training facility in Quantico, Virginia.

This training facility is designed to prepare local law enforcement agents to deal with the specific hazards surrounding small, clandestine methamphetamine labs. More than 100 law enforcement officers from my home state of Nebraska have taken part in the training.

We also had the opportunity to speak briefly with agent trainees at the DEA training facility.

I truly appreciate these men and women who are battling against the evil of illegal drugs in the heartland of Nebraska and throughout our country.

These individuals--both the agents on the street and their instructors--deserve commendation for their dedication and sacrifice.

Through public education, vigilance, and the efforts of law enforcement, we can curb the spread of dangerous drugs in our communities.