(b) ACQUISITION, CONSTRUCTION, AND IMPROVE-
MENT.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—For acquisition, construc-
tion, and improvement of facilities and equipment to
be used for expansion of Coast Guard drug interdic-
tion activities, there are authorized to be appro-
priated to the Secretary of Transportation for fiscal
year 1999 the following:
(A) 
For 
maritime 
patrol 
aircraft,
$66,000,000.
(B) For acquisition of deployable pursuit
boats, $3,500,000.
(C) For the acquisition and construction of
15 United States Coast Guard 87-foot Coastal
Patrol Boats, $71,000,000.
(D) For the reactivation of 3 United
States Coast Guard HU–25 Falcon jets,
$7,500,000.
(E) 
For 
acquisition 
of 
installed 
or
deployable electronic sensors and communica-
tions 
systems 
for 
Coast 
Guard 
Cutters,
$16,300,000.
(F) For acquisition and construction of fa-
cilities and equipment to support regional and
international law enforcement training and sup-
port in Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin
Islands, and Caribbean Basin, $4,000,000.
(G) For acquisition or conversion of mari-
time patrol aircraft, $17,000,000.
(H) For acquisition or conversion of 2 ves-
sels to be used as Coast Guard Medium or
High Endurance Cutters, $36,000,000.
(I) For acquisition or conversion of 2 ves-
sels to be used as Coast Guard Cutters as sup-
port, command, and control platforms for drug
interdiction operations, $20,000,000.
(J) For construction of 6 United States
Code Coast Guard medium endurance cutters,
$289,000,000.
(2) CONTINUED
AVAILABILITY.—Amounts ap-
propriated under this subsection may remain avail-
able until expended.
(c) REQUIREMENT TO ACCEPT PATROL CRAFT FROM
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.—The Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall accept, for use by the Coast Guard for ex-
panded drug interdiction activities, 7 PC–170 patrol craft
offered by the Department of Defense.
SEC. 103. EXPANSION OF RADAR COVERAGE AND OPER-
ATION IN SOURCE AND TRANSIT COUNTRIES.
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Funds
are authorized to be appropriated for the Department of
the Treasury for fiscal years 1999, 2000, and 2001 for
the enhancement of radar coverage in drug source and
transit countries, as follows:
(1) For restoration of radar in the Bahamas,
the total amount of $13,500,000, of which—
(A) the total amount of $4,500,000 is for
procurement; and
(B) $3,000,000 for each such fiscal year is
for operation and maintenance.
(2) For each such fiscal year for operation and
maintenance, for establishment of ground-based
radar coverage at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base,
Cuba, $300,000.
(b) REPORT.—Not later than January 31, 1999, the
Secretary of Defense, in conjunction with the Director of
Central Intelligence, shall submit to the Committee on Na-
tional Security and the Permanent Select Committee on
Intelligence of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Armed Services and the Select Committee on
Intelligence of the Senate a report examining the options
available to the United States for improving Relocatable
Over the Horizon (ROTHR) capability to provide en-
hanced radar coverage of narcotics source zone countries
in South America and transit zones in the Eastern Pacific.
The report shall include—
(1) a discussion of the need and costs associ-
ated with the establishment of a proposed fourth
ROTHR site located in the source or transit zones;
and
(2) an assessment of the intelligence specific
issues raised if such a ROTHR facility were to be
established in conjunction with a foreign govern-
ment.
TITLE 
II—ENHANCED 
ERADI-
CATION AND INTERDICTION
STRATEGY IN SOURCE COUN-
TRIES
SEC. 201. ADDITIONAL ERADICATION RESOURCES FOR CO-
LOMBIA.
(a) DEPARTMENT OF STATE.—Funds are authorized
to be appropriated for the Department of State for fiscal
years 1999, 2000, and 2001 for the enhancement of drug-
related eradication efforts in Colombia, as follows:
(1) For each such fiscal year for sustaining
support of the helicopters and fixed wing fleet of the
national police of Colombia, $6,000,000.
(2) For the purchase of DC–3 transport air-
craft for the national police of Colombia, the total
amount of $2,000,000.
(3) For acquisition of concertina wire and tun-
neling detection systems at the La Picota prison of
the national police of Colombia, the total amount of
$1,250,000.
(4) For the purchase of minigun systems for
the national police of Colombia, the total amount of
$6,000,000.
(5) For the purchase of 6 UH–60L Black
Hawk utility helicopters for the national police of
Colombia, the total amount of $60,000,000 for pro-
curement and an additional amount of $12,000,000
for each such fiscal year for operation, maintenance,
and training.
(6) For procurement, for upgrade of 50 UH–
1H helicopters to the Huey II configuration
equipped with miniguns for the use of the national
police of Colombia, the total amount of $70,000,000.
(7) For the repair and rebuilding of the
antinarcotics base at Miraflores, $2,000,000.
(8) For providing sufficient and adequate base
and force security for any rebuilt facility at
Miraflores, 
and 
the 
other 
forward 
operating
antinarcotics bases of the Colombian National Police
antinarcotics unit, $6,000,000.
(b) 
COUNTERNARCOTICS
ASSISTANCE.—United
States counternarcotics assistance may not be provided for
the Government of Colombia under this Act or under any
other provision of law on or after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act if the Government of Colombia negotiates
or permits the establishment of any demilitarized zone in
which the eradication and interdiction of drug production
by the security forces of Colombia, including the Colom-
bian National Police antinarcotics unit, is prohibited.
SEC. 202. ADDITIONAL ERADICATION RESOURCES FOR
PERU.
(a) DEPARTMENT OF STATE.—Funds are authorized
to be appropriated for the Department of State for fiscal
years 1999, 2000, and 2001 for the establishment of a
third drug interdiction site at Puerto Maldonado, Peru,
to support air bridge and riverine missions for enhance-
ment of drug-related eradication efforts in Peru, the total
amount of $3,000,000, and an additional amount of
$1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2000 and 2001 for
operation and maintenance.
(b) DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE STUDY.—The Sec-
retary of Defense shall conduct a study of Peruvian coun-
ternarcotics air interdiction requirements and, not later
than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, sub-
mit to Congress a report on the results of the study. The
study shall include a review of the Peruvian Air Force’s
current and future requirements for counternarcotics air
interdiction to complement the Peruvian Air Force’s A–
37 capability.
SEC. 203. ADDITIONAL ERADICATION RESOURCES FOR BO-
LIVIA.
Funds are authorized to be appropriated for the De-
partment of State for fiscal years 1999, 2000, and 2001
for enhancement of drug-related eradication efforts in Bo-
livia, as follows:
(1) For each such fiscal year for support of air
operations of the Red Devils of Bolivia, $1,000,000.
(2) For each such fiscal year for support of
riverine operations of the Blue Devils of Bolivia,
$1,000,000.
(3) For each such fiscal year for support of
coca eradication programs, $1,000,000.
(4) For the procurement of 2 mobile x-ray ma-
chines with maintenance support for placement
along the Chapare highway, the total amount of
$5,000,000 and an additional amount of $1,000,000
for each such fiscal year for operation and mainte-
nance.
SEC. 204. ADDITIONAL ERADICATION RESOURCES FOR
MEXICO.
(a) IN GENERAL.—
(1) AUTHORITY TO PURCHASE HELICOPTERS.—
Contingent on the agreement of the Government of
Mexico to approve full diplomatic immunity for Drug
Enforcement Administration personnel serving in
Mexico with privileges granted to United States Gov-
ernment officials to carry weapons necessary for the
performance of their duties, the Secretary of State,
subject to the availability of appropriations, shall
purchase 6 Bell 212 high altitude helicopters des-
ignated for opium eradication programs in the Mexi-
can states of Guerrero, Jalisco, and Sinaloa, for en-
hancement of drug-related eradication efforts in
Mexico.
(2) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary of State during the period beginning on Octo-
ber 1, 1998, and on ending September 30, 2001,
$18,000,000 to carry out paragraph (1).
(b) SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.—It is the sense of
the Congress that—
(1) all United States law enforcement personnel
serving in Mexico should be accredited the same sta-
tus under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Im-
munity as other diplomatic personnel serving at
United States posts in Mexico; and
(2) all Mexican narcotics law enforcement per-
sonnel serving in the United States should be ac-
corded the same diplomatic status as Drug Enforce-
ment Administration personnel serving in Mexico.
SEC. 205. MISCELLANEOUS ADDITIONAL ERADICATION RE-
SOURCES.
Funds are authorized to be appropriated for the De-
partment of State for fiscal years 1999, 2000, and 2001
for enhanced precursor chemical control projects, in the
total amount of $500,000.
SEC. 206. BUREAU OF INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS AND
LAW ENFORCEMENT AFFAIRS.
(a) QUALIFICATIONS FOR SERVICE.—Notwithstand-
ing any other provision of law, any individual serving in
the position of assistant secretary in any department or
agency of the Federal Government who has primary re-
sponsibility for international narcotics control and law en-
forcement, and the principal deputy of any such assistant
secretary, shall have substantial professional qualifications
in the fields of—
(1) management; and
(2) Federal law enforcement, or intelligence.
(b) FOREIGN MILITARY SALES.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, upon the receipt by the Department
of State of a formal letter of request for any foreign
military sales counternarcotics-related assistance
from the head of any police, military, or other ap-
propriate security agency official, the implementa-
tion and processing of the counternarcotics foreign
military sales request shall be the sole responsibility
of the Department of Defense, which is the tradi-
tional lead agency in providing military equipment
and supplies abroad.
(2) ROLE OF STATE DEPARTMENT.—The De-
partment of State shall continue to have a consult-
ative role with the Department of Defense in the
processing of the request described in paragraph (1),
after receipt of the letter of request, for all counter-
narcotics-related foreign military sales assistance.
SEC. 207. REPORT ON TRANSFERRING INTERNATIONAL
NARCOTICS ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES TO A
UNITED STATES LAW ENFORCEMENT AGEN-
CY.
(a) SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the
Congress that the responsiveness and effectiveness of
international narcotics assistance activities under the De-
partment of State have been severely hampered due, in
part, to the lack of law enforcement expertise by respon-
sible personnel in the Department of State.
(b) REPORT REQUIREMENT.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 3 months
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director
of National Drug Control Policy shall prepare and
submit to the appropriate committees a report,
which shall evaluate the responsiveness and effective-
ness of international narcotics assistance activities
under the Department of State during the preceding
4 fiscal years.
(2) RECOMMENDATION
AND
EXPLANATION.—
The study submitted under paragraph (1) shall in-
clude the recommendation of the Director and de-
tailed explanatory statement regarding whether the
overseas activities of the Bureau of International
Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of the De-
partment of State should be transferred to the De-
partment of Justice.
(3) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Office
on National Drug Control Policy $100,000 to carry
out the study under this section.
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the term ‘‘appro-
priate committees’’ means—
(1) the Committees on Appropriations, Armed
Services, Foreign Relations, and the Judiciary of the
Senate;
(2) the Committees on Appropriations, Inter-
national Relations, National Security, and the Judi-
ciary of the House of Representatives; and
(3) the Select Committees on Intelligence of the
House of Representatives and the Senate.
TITLE 
III—ENHANCED 
ALTER-
NATIVE CROP DEVELOPMENT
SUPPORT IN SOURCE ZONE
SEC. 301. ALTERNATIVE CROP DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT.
Funds are authorized to be appropriated for the
United States Agency for International Development for
fiscal years 1999, 2000, and 2001 for alternative develop-
ment programs, as follows:
(1) For startup costs of programs in the
Guaviare, Putumayo, and Caqueta regions in Colom-
bia, the total amount of $5,000,000 and an addi-
tional amount of $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years
2000 and 2001 for operation and maintenance costs.
(2) For each of fiscal years 1999, 2000, and
2001 for enhanced programs in the Ucayali,
Apurimac, and Huallaga Valley regions in Peru,
$50,000,000.
(3) For each of fiscal years 1999, 2000, and
2001 for enhanced programs in the Chapare and
Yungas regions in Bolivia, $5,000,000.
SEC. 302. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR AGRI-
CULTURAL 
RESEARCH 
SERVICE
COUNTERDRUG RESEARCH AND DEVELOP-
MENT ACTIVITIES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro-
priated to the Secretary of Agriculture for each of fiscal
years 1999, 2000, and 2001, $23,000,000 to support the
counternarcotics research efforts of the Agricultural Re-
search Service of the Department of Agriculture. Of that
amount, funds are authorized as follows:
(1) $5,000,000 shall be used for crop eradi-
cation technologies.
(2) $2,000,000 shall be used for narcotics plant
identification, chemistry, and biotechnology.
(3) $1,000,000 shall be used for worldwide crop
identification, detection tagging, and production esti-
mation technology.
(4) $5,000,000 shall be used for improving the
disease resistance, yield, and economic competitive-
ness of commercial crops that can be promoted as
alternatives to the production of narcotics plants.
(5) $10,000,000 to contract with entities meet-
ing the criteria described in subsection (b) for the
product development, environmental testing, reg-
istration, production, aerial distribution system de-
velopment, product effectiveness monitoring, and
modification of multiple mycoherbicides to control
narcotic crops (including coca, poppy, and cannabis)
in the United States and internationally.
(b) CRITERIA FOR ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—An entity
under this subsection is an entity which possesses—
(1) experience in diseases of narcotic crops;
(2) intellectual property involving seed-borne
dispersal formulations;
(3) the availability of state-of-the-art contain-
ment or quarantine facilities;
(4) country-specific mycoherbicide formulations;
(5) specialized fungicide resistant formulations;
or
(6) special security arrangements.
SEC. 303. MASTER PLAN FOR MYCOHERBICIDES TO CON-
TROL NARCOTIC CROPS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Office of Na-
tional Drug Control Policy shall develop a 10-year master
plan for the use of mycoherbicides to control narcotic
crops (including coca, poppy, and cannabis) in the United
States and internationally.
(b) COORDINATION.—The Director shall develop the
plan in coordination with—
(1) the Department of Agriculture;
(2) the Drug Enforcement Administration of
the Department of Justice;
(3) the Department of Defense;
(4) the Environmental Protection Agency;
(5) the Bureau for International Narcotics and
Law Enforcement Activities of the Department of
State;
(6) the United States Information Agency; and
(7) other appropriate agencies.
(c) REPORT.—Not later than March 1, 1999, the Di-
rector of the Office of National Drug Control Policy shall
submit to Congress a report describing the activities un-
dertaken to carry out this section.
TITLE 
IV—ENHANCED 
INTER-
NATIONAL 
LAW 
ENFORCE-
MENT TRAINING
SEC. 401. ENHANCED INTERNATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
ACADEMY TRAINING.
(a) ENHANCED INTERNATIONAL LAW ENFORCE-
MENT ACADEMY TRAINING.—Funds are authorized to be
appropriated for the Department of Justice for fiscal years
1999, 2000, and 2001 for the establishment and operation
of international law enforcement academies to carry out
law enforcement training activities, as follows:
(1) For the establishment and operation of an
academy, which shall serve Latin America and the
Caribbean, the total amount of $3,000,000 and an
additional amount of $1,200,000 for each of fiscal
years 2000 and 2001 for operation and maintenance
costs.
(2) For the establishment and operation of an
academy in Bangkok, Thailand, which shall serve
Asia, the total amount of $2,000,000 and an addi-
tional amount of $1,200,000 for each of fiscal years
2000 and 2001 for operation and maintenance costs.
(3) For each such fiscal year for the establish-
ment and operation of an academy in South Africa,
which shall serve Africa, $1,200,000.
(b) MARITIME LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING CEN-
TER.—Funds are authorized to be appropriated for the
Department of Transportation and the Department of the
Treasury for fiscal years 1999, 2000, and 2001 for the
joint establishment, operation, and maintenance in San
Juan, Puerto Rico, of a center for training law enforce-
ment personnel of countries located in the Latin American
and Caribbean regions in matters relating to maritime law
enforcement, including customs-related ports management
matters, as follows:
(1) For each such fiscal year for funding by the
Department of Transportation, $1,500,000.
(2) For each such fiscal year for funding by the
Department of the Treasury, $1,500,000.
(c) UNITED STATES COAST GUARD INTERNATIONAL
MARITIME TRAINING VESSEL.—Funds are authorized to
be appropriated for the Department of Transportation for
fiscal years 1999, 2000, and 2001 for the establishment,
operation, and maintenance of maritime training vessels,
as follows:
(1) For a vessel for international maritime
training, which shall visit participating Latin Amer-
ican and Caribbean nations on a rotating schedule
in order to provide law enforcement training and to
perform maintenance on participating national as-
sets, the total amount of $7,500,000.
(2) For each such fiscal year for support of the
United States Coast Guard Balsam Class Buoy Ten-
der training vessel, $2,500,000.
SEC. 402. ENHANCED UNITED STATES DRUG ENFORCE-
MENT INTERNATIONAL TRAINING.
(a) MEXICO.—Funds are authorized to be appro-
priated for the Department of Justice for fiscal years
1999, 2000, and 2001 for substantial exchanges for Mexi-
can judges, prosecutors, and police, in the total amount
of $2,000,000 for each such fiscal year.
(b) BRAZIL.—Funds are authorized to be appro-
priated for the Department of Justice for fiscal years
1999, 2000, and 2001 for enhanced support for the Bra-
zilian Federal Police Training Center, in the total amount
of $1,000,000 for each such fiscal year.
(c) PANAMA.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Funds are authorized to be
appropriated for the Department of Transportation
for fiscal years 1999, 2000, and 2001 for operation
and maintenance, for locating and operating Coast
Guard assets so as to strengthen the capability of
the Coast Guard of Panama to patrol the Atlantic
and Pacific coasts of Panama for drug enforcement
and interdiction activities, in the total amount of
$1,000,000 for each such fiscal year.
(2) ELIGIBILITY TO RECEIVE TRAINING.—Not-
withstanding any other provision of law, members of
the national police of Panama shall be eligible to re-
ceive training through the International Military
Education Training program.
(d) VENEZUELA.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated for the Department of Justice for each of fiscal
years 1999, 2000, and 2001, $1,000,000 for operation
and maintenance, for support for the Venezuelan Judicial
Technical Police Counterdrug Intelligence Center.
(e) ECUADOR.—Funds are authorized to be appro-
priated for the Department of Transportation and the De-
partment of the Treasury for each of fiscal years 1999,
2000, and 2001 for the buildup of local coast guard and
port control in Guayaquil and Esmeraldas, Ecuador, as
follows:
(1) For each such fiscal year for the Depart-
ment of Transportation, $500,000.
(2) For each such fiscal year for the Depart-
ment of the Treasury, $500,000.
(f) HAITI AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.—Funds
are authorized to be appropriated for the Department of
the Treasury for each of fiscal years 1999, 2000, and
2001, $500,000 for the buildup of local coast guard and
port control in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
(g) CENTRAL AMERICA.—There are authorized to be
appropriated for the Department of the Treasury for each
of fiscal years 1999, 2000, and 2001, $12,000,000 for the
buildup of local coast guard and port control in Belize,
Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nica-
ragua.
SEC. 403. PROVISION OF NONLETHAL EQUIPMENT TO FOR-
EIGN LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATIONS
FOR COOPERATIVE ILLICIT NARCOTICS CON-
TROL ACTIVITIES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Drug
Enforcement Administration, in consultation with the Sec-
retary of State, may transfer or lease each year nonlethal
equipment, of which each piece of equipment may be val-
ued at not more than $100,000, to foreign law enforce-
ment organizations for the purpose of establishing and
carrying out cooperative illicit narcotics control activities.
(b) ADDITIONAL
REQUIREMENT.—The Adminis-
trator shall provide for the maintenance and repair of any
equipment transferred or leased under subsection (a).
TITLE 
V—ENHANCED 
DRUG
TRANSIT AND SOURCE ZONE
LAW 
ENFORCEMENT 
OPER-
ATIONS AND EQUIPMENT
SEC. 501. INCREASED FUNDING FOR OPERATIONS AND
EQUIPMENT; REPORT.
(a) DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION.—Funds
are authorized to be appropriated for the Drug Enforce-
ment Administration for fiscal years 1999, 2000, and
2001 for enhancement of counternarcotic operations in
drug transit and source countries, as follows:
(1) For support of the Merlin program, the
total amount of $8,272,000.
(2) For support of the intercept program, the
total amount of $4,500,000.
(3) For support of the Narcotics Enforcement
Data Retrieval System, the total amount of
$2,400,000.
(4) For support of the Caribbean Initiative, the
total amount of $3,515,000.
(5) For the hire of special agents, administra-
tive and investigative support personnel, and intel-
ligence analysts for overseas assignments in foreign
posts, the total amount of $40,213,000.
(b) DEPARTMENT OF STATE.—Funds are authorized
to be appropriated for the Department of State for fiscal
year 1999, 2000, and 2001 for the deployment of commer-
cial unclassified intelligence and imaging data and a Pas-
sive Coherent Location System for counternarcotics and
interdiction purposes in the Western Hemisphere, the
total amount of $20,000,000.
(c) DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY.—Funds are
authorized to be appropriated for the United States Cus-
toms Service for fiscal years 1999, 2000, and 2001 for
enhancement of counternarcotic operations in drug transit
and source countries, as follows:
(1) For refurbishment of 30 interceptor and
Blue Water Platform vessels in the Caribbean mari-
time fleet, the total amount of $3,500,000.
(2) For purchase of 9 new interceptor vessels in
the Caribbean maritime fleet, the total amount of
$2,000,000.
(3) For the hire and training of 25 special
agents for maritime operations in the Caribbean, the
total amount of $2,500,000.
(4) For purchase of 60 automotive vehicles for
ground use in South Florida, $1,500,000.
(5) For each such fiscal year for operation and
maintenance support for 10 United States Customs
Service Citations Aircraft to be dedicated for the
source and transit zone, the total amount of
$10,000,000.
(6) For purchase of 5 CTX–5000 x-ray ma-
chines to enhance detection capabilities with respect
to narcotics, explosives, and currency, the total
amount of $7,000,000.
(d) DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE REPORT.—Not later
than January 31, 1999, the Secretary of Defense, in con-
sultation with the Director of the Office of National Drug
Control Policy, shall submit to the Committee on National
Security and the Permanent Select Committee on Intel-
ligence of the House of Representatives and the Commit-
tee on Armed Services and the Select Committee on Intel-
ligence of the Senate a report examining and proposing
recommendations regarding any organizational changes to
optimize counterdrug activities, including alternative cost-
sharing arrangements regarding the following facilities:
(1) The Joint Inter-Agency Task Force, East,
Key West, Florida.
(2) The Joint Inter-Agency Task Force, West,
Alameda, California.
(3) The Joint Inter-Agency Task Force, South,
Panama City, Panama.
(4) The Joint Task Force 6, El Paso, Texas.
SEC. 502. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS REGARDING PRIORITY
OF DRUG INTERDICTION AND COUNTERDRUG
ACTIVITIES.
It is the sense of the Congress that the Secretary of
Defense should revise the Global Military Force Policy of
the Department of Defense in order—
(1) to treat the international drug interdiction
and counter-drug activities of the Department as a
military operation other than war, thereby elevating
the priority given such activities under the Policy to
the next priority below the priority given to war
under the Policy and to the same priority as is given
to peacekeeping operations under the Policy; and
(2) to allocate the assets of the Department to
drug interdiction and counter-drug activities in ac-
cordance with the priority given those activities.
SEC. 503. PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE BY THE ARMED
FORCES TO THE IMMIGRATION AND NATU-
RALIZATION SERVICE AND CUSTOMS SERV-
ICE.
The Secretary of Defense shall assist in keeping ille-
gal drugs out of the United States by assigning members
of the Armed Forces to assist—
(1) the Immigration and Naturalization Service
in preventing the entry of drug traffickers and nar-
cotics into the United States; and
(2) the United States Customs Service in the
inspection of cargo, vehicles, and aircraft at points
of entry into the United States.
TITLE VI—RELATIONSHIP TO
OTHER LAWS
SEC. 601. AUTHORIZATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS.
The funds authorized to be appropriated for any de-
partment or agency of the Federal Government for fiscal
years 1999, 2000, or 2001 by this Act are in addition to
funds authorized to be appropriated for that department
or agency for fiscal year 1999, 2000, or 2001 by any other
provision of law.
TITLE 
VII—CRIMINAL 
BACK-
GROUND CHECKS ON PORT
EMPLOYEES
SEC. 701. BACKGROUND CHECKS.
Upon the request of any State, county, port author-
ity, or other local jurisdiction of a State, the Attorney
General shall grant to such State, county, port authority,
or other local jurisdiction access to information collected
by the Attorney General pursuant to section 534 of title
28, United States Code, for the purpose of allowing such
State, county, port authority, or other local jurisdiction
to conduct criminal background checks on employees, or
applicants for employment, at any port under the jurisdic-
tion of such State, county, port authority, or other local
jurisdiction.
SEC. 702. DEFINITION.
As used in this title, the term ‘‘port’’ means any place
at which vessels may resort to load or unload cargo.
Passed the House of Representatives September 16,
1998.
Attest:
Clerk.