•HRES 258 IH 
Whereas there is a tragically consistent demand for heroin, 
marijuana, methamphetamines, and cocaine from drug 
users in the United States; 
Whereas the Government of Mexico is locked in an extremely 
violent struggle against drug trafficking organizations 
that produce and transport narcotics; 
Whereas the drug trafficking organizations in Mexico are well 
organized, heavily armed, and wealthy criminal enter-
prises, with estimated criminal earnings of more than 
$25,000,000,000 every year; 
Whereas it is estimated that Mexican drug trafficking organi-
zations produce 8 metric tons of heroin and 10,000 met-
ric tons of marijuana each year; 
Whereas, in confrontations with the Government of Mexico 
and with each other, the drug trafficking organizations 
have adopted tactics intended to intimidate the public at 
large, corrupt law enforcement officials, and create a per-
ception of increased violence among the people of Mexico; 
Whereas, in 2008, approximately 6,200 people in Mexico died 
as the result of violence related to drug trafficking, more 
than twice as many as in 2007; 
Whereas drug-related killings continued in Mexico during 
2009, and on February 9, 2009, a total of 35 people were 
killed in drug-related violence in Mexico; 
Whereas drug trafficking organizations in Mexico have bra-
zenly targeted and executed many high-ranking public of-
ficials in Mexico; 
Whereas more than 800 police officers and soldiers in Mexico 
have been killed in the line of duty since late 2006; 
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•HRES 258 IH 
Whereas efforts by the Government of Mexico and the United 
States Government to combat drug trafficking organiza-
tions and power struggles between the drug trafficking 
organizations themselves have resulted in growing vio-
lence along the 2000-mile border between the United 
States and Mexico; 
Whereas drug-related violence affects cities and towns on 
both sides of the border, as drug trafficking organizations 
from Mexico form partnerships with criminal organiza-
tions based in the United States; 
Whereas law enforcement authorities in the United States 
have reported an increase in the number of killings, 
kidnappings, and home invasions linked to Mexican drug 
trafficking organizations in a number of cities in the 
United States, some of which are thousands of miles 
from the Mexican border; 
Whereas a 2008 report by the Department of Justice indi-
cated that Mexican drug trafficking organizations now 
operate in 195 cities in the United States; 
Whereas the 2008 National Drug Threat Assessment by the 
Department of Justice identified drug organizations from 
Mexico as the greatest criminal threat to the United 
States; 
Whereas the Government of Mexico is strengthening the in-
stitutions of a democratic state that adheres to the rule 
of law, supports a free press, and is committed to human 
rights; 
Whereas the inauguration of President Felipe Caldero´n in 
December 2006 represented another step forward in the 
process of strengthening institutions in Mexico; 
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•HRES 258 IH 
Whereas President Caldero´n has made defeating drug traf-
ficking organizations a top priority of his administration, 
increasing 
the 
security 
budget 
of 
Mexico 
from 
$2,000,000,000 in 2006 to $4,000,000,000 in 2008 and 
deploying nearly 36,000 federal troops to carry out anti- 
drug operations; 
Whereas the Government of Mexico has undertaken reforms 
that, together with significant changes to the code of 
criminal procedure and the penal code, could transform 
the justice system in Mexico to be more open and trans-
parent, protect human rights, and devote resources to in-
vestigating and prosecuting crimes; 
Whereas President Caldero´n has taken significant steps to 
crack down on corruption within the police forces and 
other government institutions of Mexico; 
Whereas officers of the Government of Mexico have succeeded 
in seizing record quantities of narcotics from drug traf-
ficking organizations; 
Whereas law enforcement officials in Mexico are cooperating 
with law enforcement agencies in the United States at 
unprecedented levels, with Mexico extraditing 83 major 
drug traffickers to stand trial in the United States in 
2007, and another 93 major drug traffickers in 2008; 
Whereas the police and army units of Mexico are often 
outgunned by members of the drug trafficking organiza-
tions, who employ heavy machine guns, high-powered as-
sault weapons such as the AK–47, 0.50 caliber sniper ri-
fles, military hand grenades, rocket-propelled grenade 
launchers, and sophisticated technology like night vision 
goggles and communication interception devices; 
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•HRES 258 IH 
Whereas a large majority of the weapons and ammunition 
used by the drug trafficking organizations come from 
sources in the United States, particularly gun dealers and 
gun shows in Texas, Arizona, and California; 
Whereas approximately 90 percent of all firearms recovered 
at crime scenes in Mexico are illicitly trafficked across 
the border from the United States to Mexico; 
Whereas the people of Mexico and the military and civilian 
officials of the Government of Mexico have demonstrated 
tremendous courage in confronting the drug trafficking 
organizations; 
Whereas the United States Government, along with law en-
forcement agencies in the United States and Mexico, has 
escalated its efforts to disrupt the trafficking of nar-
cotics, money, people, and arms across the border and to 
combat drug trafficking organizations; 
Whereas the United States Government can and should do 
more to reduce the demand for illegal drugs in the 
United States and stop the illegal exportation of money 
and weapons; 
Whereas the efforts by the United States Government to 
combat trafficking are outlined in the National Drug 
Control Strategy (2008), the Southwest Border Counter-
narcotics Strategy (2007), and the U.S. Strategy for 
Combating Criminal Gangs from Central America and 
Mexico (2007); 
Whereas, on October 22, 2007, the United States Govern-
ment and the Government of Mexico announced a 
multiyear security agreement called the ‘‘Merida Initia-
tive’’, which is intended to combat drug trafficking and 
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•HRES 258 IH 
other criminal activity along the border of the United 
States and Mexico and in Central America; and 
Whereas Congress has appropriated $465,000,000 for the 
Merida Initiative, allocating to the Government of Mexico 
a total of $400,000,000 in equipment, technical assist-
ance, and training in fiscal year 2008, which is now in 
the process of being delivered: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep-
resentatives that— 
(1) Mexico is a key strategic partner of the 
United States; 
(2) a secure, prosperous, and democratic Mex-
ico is indispensable to the goal of the United States 
to have prosperity and peace throughout the Amer-
icas and the world; 
(3) the people and the Government of Mexico 
have launched a sustained attack on drug trafficking 
organizations based in Mexico; 
(4) the increasing violence and criminality of 
drug trafficking organizations threaten the well- 
being of the people of the United States and Mexico 
and pose security challenges to cities and towns in 
the United States; 
(5) drug-related violence is a ‘‘cross-border’’ 
problem that requires close cooperation between the 
Government of Mexico and the United States Gov-
ernment; 
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•HRES 258 IH 
(6) the United States Government and the Gov-
ernment of Mexico have a shared interest and re-
sponsibility in defeating drug trafficking organiza-
tions, and a comprehensive strategy, jointly con-
ceived and executed, is required for significant 
progress to be made; 
(7) the House of Representatives applauds and 
fully supports efforts by President Felipe Caldero´n, 
the people of Mexico, and the Government of Mexico 
to confront the drug trafficking organizations, ap-
prehend their members, and bring them to justice; 
(8) the Department of State should— 
(A) ensure prompt delivery of the equip-
ment, technical assistance, and training for 
which Congress appropriated funds in fiscal 
year 2008 as part of the Merida Initiative; 
(B) continue to support the Government of 
Mexico in its efforts to strengthen institutions 
and the rule of law, root out corruption, and 
protect human rights; and 
(C) ensure full accountability for all assist-
ance and equipment provided by the United 
States Government to the Government of Mex-
ico; and 
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•HRES 258 IH 
(9) the United States Government should em-
ploy its broad diplomatic and law enforcement re-
sources, in partnership with the Government of Mex-
ico and governments throughout the Americas, to 
defeat drug-related criminal enterprises. 
Æ 
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