III 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 246 

Honoring the men and women of the Drug Enforcement Administration 

on the 50th anniversary of the agency. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 13, 2023 

Mr. MORAN (for himself and Mrs. SHAHEEN) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the men and women of the Drug Enforcement 

Administration on the 50th anniversary of the agency. 

Whereas the Drug Enforcement Administration (referred to 

in this preamble as the ‘‘DEA’’) was— 

(1) established on July 1, 1973 by Reorganization 

Plan Numbered 2 of 1973 (87 Stat. 1091; 5 U.S.C. 

App.); and 

(2) given the responsibility to coordinate the whole 

of the Federal Government approach related to the enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 

801 et seq.); 

Whereas the more than 10,000 men and women of the DEA, 

including special agents, intelligence research specialists, 

diversion investigators, program analysts, forensic chemists, attorneys, and administrative support staff, as well 


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•SRES 246 IS 

as more than 3,000 task force officers, representing hundreds of State and local law enforcement agencies across 

the country— 

(1) serve the United States with courage; and 

(2) are committed to serving and protecting public 

safety, public health, and the national security of the 

United States from drug trafficking, drug misuse, and 

related violence; 

Whereas, during the 50 years since the establishment of the 

DEA, the agency has targeted and dismantled 

transnational drug trafficking organizations and brought 

to justice the most dangerous and prolific drug trafficking criminals from around the world; 

Whereas, throughout the 50-year history of the DEA, the 

agency has continually adapted to evolving trends of 

major transnational drug cartels, targeting the organizations involved in the manufacturing, trafficking, and distribution of drugs, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, 

cocaine, heroin, controlled prescription drugs, and other 

synthetic opioids; 

Whereas the DEA has deployed enforcement and regulatory 

tools and strategies to address the threat posed by new 

synthetic opioid substances, which— 

(1) mimic the effects of known licit and illicit controlled substances, including fentanyl; 

(2) are largely responsible for driving the opioid epidemic that claimed the lives of more than 107,000 individuals in the United States in 2021; and 

(3) present the most significant threat to public 

health, public safety, and the national security of the 

United States; 


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•SRES 246 IS 

Whereas, with 93 foreign offices located in 69 countries, the 

DEA has the largest international presence of any Federal law enforcement agency, facilitating— 

(1) close collaboration with international partners 

around the world through information sharing, training, 

and technology; and 

(2) the provision of resources that have resulted in 

the disruption or dismantling of hundreds of 

transnational criminal organizations around the world; 

Whereas, throughout the history of the DEA, employees and 

members of task forces of the agency have sacrificed 

their lives in the line of duty, including Emir Benitez, 

Gerald Sawyer, Leslie S. Grosso, Nickolas Fragos, Mary 

M. Keehan, Charles H. Mann, Anna Y. Mounger, Anna 

J. Pope, Martha D. Skeels, Mary P. Sullivan, Larry D. 

Wallace, Ralph N. Shaw, James T. Lunn, Octavio Gonzalez, Francis J. Miller, Robert C. Lightfoot, Thomas J. 

Devine, Larry N. Carwell, Marcellus Ward, Enrique S. 

Camarena, James A. Avant, Charles M. Bassing, Kevin 

L. Brosch, Susan M. Hoefler, William Ramos, Raymond 

J. Stastny, Arthur L. Cash, Terry W. McNett, George M. 

Montoya, Paul S. Seema, Everett E. Hatcher, Rickie C. 

Finley, Joseph T. Aversa, Wallie Howard, Jr., Eugene T. 

McCarthy, Alan H. Winn, George D. Althouse, Becky L. 

Dwojeski, Stephen J. Strehl, Richard E. Fass, Frank 

Fernandez, Jr., Jay W. Seale, Meredith Thompson, Juan 

C. Vars, Frank S. Wallace, Jr., Shelly D. Bland, Rona 

L. Chafey, Carrol June Fields, Carrie A. Lenz, Kenneth 

G. McCullough, Shaun E. Curl, Larry Steilen, Royce D. 

Tramel, Alice Faye Hall-Walton, Elton Lee Armstead, 

Terry Loftus, Donald C. Ware, Jay Balchunas, Thomas 

J. Byrne, Jr., Samuel Hicks, Forrest N. Leamon, Chad 

L. Michael, Michael E. Weston, James Terry Watson, 


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•SRES 246 IS 

Brent L. Hanger, Jorge R. DelRio, Stephen C. Arnold, 

Michael G. Garbo, and Jody W. Cash; and 

Whereas many other DEA employees and task force officers 

have been wounded or injured in the line of duty, including 79 individuals who have received the DEA Purple 

Heart Award: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) congratulates the Drug Enforcement Ad3 ministration on the occasion of its 50th anniversary; 

4 (2) honors the heroic dedication of the employ5 ees of the Drug Enforcement Administration who 

6 have paid the ultimate price and sacrificed their lives 

7 or have been wounded or injured in the service of 

8 the United States; and 

9 (3) gives heartfelt thanks to all the men and 

10 women of the Drug Enforcement Administration for 

11 their past and continued efforts to protect the health 

12 and safety of the people of the United States from 

13 transnational criminal networks and drugs causing 

14 harm, violence, and death in the communities of the 

15 United States. 

Æ 


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