After months of historic negotiations between the governments of Mexico and the United States, President Bush announced the Merida Initiative on October 22nd.

Developed as a plan of increased cooperation between our two nations to combat the threat of drug trafficking and transnational crime in the Western Hemisphere, the Merida Initiative rightly aims to defeat the perilous threats endangering the youth and prosperity of our nations today.

Due to timing limitations on the existing Fiscal Year 2008 foreign assistance budget and appropriations already under way, the President wisely asked for $500 million in a supplemental request

This will be part of an expected $1.4 billion multi-year program., to fund this vital effort for greater security cooperation with Mexico.

An additional $50 million was requested to assist Central America, also a major transit zone for illicit drugs.

We all face the same challenges and threats, whether in Guatemala, Mexico, or right here on our side of the border.

The challenge is one of shared responsibility by all of the nations in this deadly chain.

I am hopeful that Congress will act on this request in a timely and constructive manner.

The request comes at a unique time, when the transit zone efforts in Central America and Mexico are all starting to pay big dividends, particularly on the deadly cocaine front.

Mexico had a recent record seizure of more than 20 tons of cocaine, worth $2.7 billion dollars by some estimates.

This shipment, headed to the US from Colombia in a Hong Kong flagged ship, shows that Mexico is serious about tackling this challenge.

It also makes the point that we need a source nation strategy in places like Colombia and aggressive interdiction all along the way here.

We should not be cutting Plan Colombia now either.

I note for the record, that between January and September of 2007, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy found that along with falling purity levels 15 %, there was a 44% increase in the retail price of cocaine; and major shortages of it were found in 37 cities across the U.S.

All of these factors make the deadly drug less and less attractive to young people.

The blame game and finger-pointing which have hindered cooperation between our two countries over the issue of narcotics has hopefully ended with this Merida Initiative.

We must prepare to combat an unprecedented new wave of related violence.

The interests of both countries are well served by our joint efforts to curb the drug violence together.

It threatens not only Mexico’s economic well being and democratic institutions, but our own nation’s security, and the well being of our young people.

The challenges ahead are significant on both sides of the border—in particular, the issue of corruption that so often flows from the deadly and lucrative drug and organized crime business. 

Much needs to be done, and sooner rather than later.

The Administration ought to consider assigning a senior official to administer this initiative—someone skilled in handling such a large, complex counter-narcotics multi-agency aid package that involves air craft and the maintenance of planes and helicopters with the Mexican military.

We are likely to get only one chance to make this joint drug crime fighting effort work, and we ought to get it right.

I look forward to hearing today’s testimony.