Proportionally, he said, Mexico earmarks a higher percentage of its national budget to fight drugs than the United States does. The administration generally acknowledges that Mexico's anti-drug efforts have fallen short, but not for lack of trying. Clinton is expected to certify Friday that Mexico fully cooperated with American counterdrug efforts last year. The announcement is part of an annual process that evaluates the law enforcement performance of drug source and transit countries. Decertification would mean economic sanctions on top of diplomatic insult to Mexico, which sees the U.S. certification process as political.
Senators suggest changes Some senators advocated new approaches.
Republican Sen. Mike DeWine said the administration failed to seek funding for the top priorities in the Western Hemisphere Drug Elimination Act that Congress approved last year. The act sought funding for a fungus that government researchers believe can kill narcotics plants without harming other crops or animals. Democratic Sen. Joseph Biden said the United States might be better off just buying the whole South American drug crop and destroying it. It would be cheaper than the current strategy of eradication and interdiction, he said. Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas,The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.