Sen. Wilson and the War on Drugs

In his article “Instead of Mexico-Bashing, Wilson Should Make War on Demand for Drugs Here” Sergio Munoz (Op-Ed Page, April 19) impugns the honesty of my intentions regarding my sponsorship of a resolution to disapprove of President Reagan’s certification of Mexico as having fully cooperated in the war on drugs.

Not to support such a resolution, however, would make a mockery of United States law.

According to the Omnibus Drug Act passed by Congress in 1986, countries found not to be in full cooperation are subject to economic penalties unless the President, for national security reasons, overrides the decision.

The evidence that the Mexican government has not fully cooperated in this war is overwhelming and, ironically, even comes from the Reagan Administration, which opposed it.

As I stated on the floor of the Senate, it is not the purpose of the resolution to economically penalize Mexico. No one seriously doubts the President will exercise his power to exempt Mexico from the penalties. And I will not oppose the President if he makes such a finding.

Those who argue that Congress is kicking Mexico by passing the resolution would have the United States certify under false pretense that Mexico is in full cooperation with anti-drug efforts, when clearly it is not.

But by engaging in the pretense of adequate cooperation, America clearly sends the wrong message to the government of Mexico, to drug traffickers who corrupt Mexican law enforcement, and to Americans nationwide who are rightly concerned that Congress and the Administration are not serious about the war on drugs.

Therefore, the dishonest thing for the Senate to do in this case would have been to vote to certify Mexico.

Secondly, Munoz poses a series of questions with which he further seeks to “test the honesty” of my intentions. These questions regard the increasing U.S. appetite for illegal drugs and what is widely perceived by the public, including Munoz, as an inadequate effort on the part of this country’s government to address this growing demand.

The answer is that Congress has done much, but not enough. I am currently co-sponsoring a bill to appropriate another $2.4 billion in the war against drugs, of which nearly $2 billion will be spent to assist state and local law enforcement in the war on drugs within our borders and to provide additional resources aimed at reducing demand for drugs through education and treatment programs.

Two of the questions Munoz raises, regarding domestic marijuana eradication programs and early release from jail of drug violators, would receive attention under this new bill. States would be allowed to compete for block grants to gain assistance in marijuana eradication efforts and millions in additional funds for prison construction would be appropriated.

The bill also addresses, among its many other provisions, a very important problem that is entirely domestically created, in fact, it is primarily created in our own Southern California.

Included in the 1988 anti-drug bill is a bill introduced earlier, which I also co-sponsored, to put the chemical ingredients used in the manufacture of “meth” and PCP beyond the reach of these illegal chemical manufacturers.

I am the first to admit that Congress can do more, that this Administration can do more to combat illegal drugs. But neither will I ignore the lack of effort on the part of the Mexican government to assist us in the war on drugs. Furthermore, nothing in my actions suggest that I am singling Mexico out for punishment, as Mr. Munoz implies. I also voted to decertify the Bahamas for not fully cooperating.

SEN. PETE WILSON

R-Calif.

Washington, D.C.