(B) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense 
of Congress that— 
(i) operational technology transferred 
to the Government of Mexico for intel-
ligence or law enforcement purposes should 
be used solely for the purposes for which 
the operational technology was intended; 
and 
(ii) the Government of Mexico should 
take all necessary steps to ensure that use 
of operational technology described in 
clause (i) is consistent with United States 
and Mexican law, including protections of 
freedom of expression, freedom of move-
ment, freedom of association, and full re-
spect of privacy rights. 
(4) PUBLIC
SECURITY
AND
LAW
ENFORCE-
MENT.—To assist in the modernization of law en-
forcement entities and prevent crime, including as-
sistance and activities such as— 
(A) law enforcement training and equip-
ment, including— 
(i) transport helicopters; 
(ii) surveillance aircraft, including 
Cessna Caravan light utility aircraft; 
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(iii) nonintrusive inspection equip-
ment; and 
(iv) human rights training for law en-
forcement units; 
(B) enhancement of the Government of 
Mexico’s financial intelligence unit; 
(C) safety-related equipment for law en-
forcement officers and prosecutors, including 
protective vests and helmet sets; 
(D) reduction of drug demand in Mexico, 
including activities such as— 
(i) assistance to the National Council 
Against Addictions (CONADIC) to estab-
lish an Internet web-based support net-
work; 
(ii) establishment of a national data 
center to support the CONADIC; and 
(iii) training of CONADIC and other 
agency staff in best practices and outreach 
and treatment programs, and design of a 
methodology to implement best practices in 
conjunction with the National Network for 
Technological Transfers in Addiction. 
(b) PROVISION
OF
HELICOPTERS.—Funds made 
available to carry out this subtitle to provide helicopters 
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to the Government of Mexico, shall, to the extent possible, 
be used to procure or provide helicopters that are of a 
similar manufacture to those helicopters already in the 
possession of the Government of Mexico in order to facili-
tate integration of those assets into Mexico’s existing air 
fleet. 
(c) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the United States shall ensure, to the extent 
possible, that assistance under this subtitle is made avail-
able and cross-utilized by the armed forces of Mexico and 
relevant law enforcement agencies of the Government of 
Mexico, including the Mexican Office of the Attorney Gen-
eral. 
SEC. 114. LIMITATION ON ASSISTANCE. 
(a) LIMITATION.—No assistance may be provided 
under this subtitle to any unit of the armed forces of Mex-
ico or any unit of the law enforcement agencies of Mexico 
if the Secretary of State determines that, consistent with 
section 620J of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 
U.S.C. 2378d), there is credible evidence that such unit 
has committed gross violations of human rights. 
(b) EXCEPTION.—The limitation in subsection (a) 
shall not apply if the Secretary of State determines and 
reports to the appropriate congressional committees that 
the Government of Mexico is taking effective means to 
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bring the responsible members of the unit of the armed 
forces or law enforcement agencies, as the case may be, 
to justice. 
SEC. 115. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—To carry out this subtitle, there 
are authorized to be appropriated to the President 
$350,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, $390,000,000 for fis-
cal year 2009, and $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2010. 
(b) LIMITATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Of the amounts appro-
priated pursuant to the authorization of appropria-
tions under subsection (a)— 
(A) not more than $205,000,000 may be 
provided as assistance for the armed forces of 
Mexico for 2008; 
(B) not more than $120,000,000 may be 
provided as assistance for the armed forces of 
Mexico for 2009; and 
(C) not more than $9,000,000 may be pro-
vided as assistance for the armed forces of Mex-
ico for 2010. 
(2) ADDITIONAL
LIMITATION.—None of the 
funds appropriated pursuant to the authorization of 
appropriations under subsection (a) for fiscal year 
2009 may be provided as assistance for the Mexican 
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Secretariat of Public Security until the President de-
termines that the Mexican National Registry of Po-
lice Personnel (Registro Nacional de Personal 
Policial) is operational at the Federal, State, and 
local levels. 
(c) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts appropriated pursuant 
to the authorization of appropriations under subsection (a) 
are— 
(1) authorized to remain available until ex-
pended; and 
(2) in addition to funds otherwise available for 
such purposes, including funds available under chap-
ter 8 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 
1961 (22 U.S.C. 2291 et seq.). 
Subtitle B—Assistance to Enhance 
the Rule of Law and Strengthen 
Civilian Institutions 
SEC. 121. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that, as a critical part 
of a joint, comprehensive security, counternarcotics, and 
organized crime initiative, the United States should sup-
port— 
(1) programs of the United States Agency for 
International Development and other United States 
agencies focused on strengthening civilian institu-
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tions and rule of law programs in Mexico at the 
Federal, State, and municipal levels; and 
(2) anti-corruption, transparency, and human 
rights programs to ensure due process and expand 
a culture of lawfulness in Mexico. 
SEC. 122. AUTHORIZATION OF ASSISTANCE. 
The President is authorized to provide assistance for 
Mexico to support the activities described in section 123. 
SEC. 123. ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED. 
Activities that may be supported by assistance under 
section 122 include the following: 
(1) INSTITUTION
BUILDING
AND
RULE
OF 
LAW.—To assist Mexico’s efforts to expand the rule 
of law and build the capacity, transparency, and 
trust in government institutions, including assistance 
such as— 
(A) rule of law and systemic improvements 
in judicial and criminal justice sector institu-
tions, including— 
(i) courts management and prosecu-
torial capacity building; 
(ii) prison reform activities, including 
those relating to anti-gang and anti-orga-
nized crime efforts; 
(iii) anti-money laundering programs; 
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(iv) victim and witness protection and 
restitution; and 
(v) promotion of transparent oral 
trials via training for the judicial sector; 
(B) police professionalization, including— 
(i) training regarding use of force; 
(ii) human rights education and train-
ing; 
(iii) training regarding evidence pres-
ervation and chain of custody; and 
(iv) enhanced capacity to vet can-
didates; 
(C) support for the Mexican Office of the 
Attorney General, including— 
(i) judicial processes improvement and 
coordination; 
(ii) enhancement of forensics capabili-
ties; 
(iii) data collection and analyses; 
(iv) case tracking and management; 
(v) financial intelligence functions; 
and 
(vi) maintenance of data systems. 
(2) ANTI-CORRUPTION, TRANSPARENCY, AND 
HUMAN
RIGHTS.—To assist law enforcement and 
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court institutions in Mexico to develop mechanisms 
to ensure due process and proper oversight and to 
respond to citizen complaints, including assistance 
such as— 
(A) enhancement of polygraph capability in 
the Mexican Police agency (SSP); 
(B) support for greater transparency and 
accountability in the Mexican legal system, in-
cluding— 
(i) establishment of a center in the 
Mexican Office of the Attorney General for 
receipt of citizen complaints; 
(ii) establishment of clerk of the court 
system to track cases and pretrial deten-
tions; 
(iii) reorganization of human and fi-
nancial resources systems; and 
(iv) equipping and training of criminal 
investigators; and 
(C) promotion of human rights, includ-
ing— 
(i) support for human rights organiza-
tions, bar associations, and law schools; 
and 
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(ii) training for police, prosecutors, 
and corrections officers. 
(3) PREVENTION.—To assist in the prevention 
of individuals from participating in illicit narcotics- 
related violent activities, such as— 
(A) establishment of programs that ad-
dress domestic violence and increase school at-
tendance rates; and 
(B) expansion of intervention programs, 
including after-school programs and programs 
for at-risk and criminal involved youth. 
(4) DEVELOPMENT.—To assist in the develop-
ment of areas where lack of jobs breeds illicit nar-
cotics-related violence, including— 
(A) expansion of alternative livelihood pro-
grams, including job creation programs and 
rural development programs; and 
(B) establishment of gang reeducation and 
training programs. 
SEC. 124. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—To carry out this subtitle, there 
are authorized to be appropriated to the President 
$120,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, $100,000,000 for fis-
cal year 2009, and $110,000,000 for fiscal year 2010. 
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(b) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts appropriated pursuant 
to the authorization of appropriations under subsection (a) 
are— 
(1) authorized to remain available until ex-
pended; and 
(2) in addition to funds otherwise available for 
such purposes, including funds available under chap-
ter 8 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 
1961. 
TITLE 
II—ASSISTANCE 
FOR 
COUNTRIES 
OF 
CENTRAL 
AMERICA 
SEC. 201. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) A May 2007 report by the United Nations 
Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) argues that 
countries of Central America are particularly vulner-
able to violent crimes fueled by drug trafficking and 
corruption because such countries are geographically 
located between the world’s largest drug producing 
and drug consuming countries. 
(2) According to Assistant Secretary of State 
for Western Hemisphere Affairs Thomas Shannon, 
‘‘[T]he nations of Central America have committed 
to collective action to address these common security 
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concerns. Through the Central American Integration 
System (SICA), the governments have expressed the 
political resolve to join forces to strengthen regional 
security; however they lack sufficient tools and ca-
pacity to execute such will.’’. 
(3) Crime and violence in Central America has 
increased in recent years. 
(4) In 2005, the estimated murder rate per 
100,000 people was roughly 56 in El Salvador, 41 
in Honduras, and 38 in Guatemala. 
(5) Youth gang violence has been one of the 
major factors contributing to increased violence in 
Central America, with the United States Southern 
Command estimating that there are 70,000 gang 
members in Central America. 
(6) Many Central American youth gangs are 
transnational and negatively impact both Central 
America and the United States. 
(7) Youth gang violence cannot be curbed only 
through enforcement, but must also include a sub-
stantial investment in prevention, rehabilitation, and 
reintegration. 
(8) Deportees sent from the United States back 
to Central America, while not a central cause of 
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crime and violence, can contribute to crime and vio-
lence in Central America. 
(9) Guatemala has experienced a surge in mur-
ders of women in recent years, many of which have 
been committed by illicit drug traffickers and other 
organized criminals. 
(10) Violence between partners, particularly vio-
lence by men against their wives or girlfriends, is 
widespread in Central America, and an international 
violence against women survey comparing selected 
countries in Africa, Latin America, Europe, and 
Asia found that 60 percent of women in Costa 
Rica—often considered the least violent country in 
Central America—reported having experienced do-
mestic violence during their lives. 
(11) Weak justice systems in the countries of 
Central America have led to a high level of impunity 
in Central America. 
(12) The United Nations International Com-
mission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) 
was recently created to begin to address impunity 
related to illegally armed groups in Guatemala. 
(13) The United States and the Central Amer-
ican Integration System (SICA) signed an agree-
ment in July 2007 to improve intelligence sharing 
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and policing and to institutionalize dialogue on re-
gional security. 
SEC. 202. DECLARATIONS OF POLICY. 
Congress makes the following declarations: 
(1) A long-term United States strategy to curb 
illicit narcotics trafficking must include Central 
America, which is the corridor for 90 percent of the 
cocaine that transits from South America to the 
United States. 
(2) It is in the interest of the United States to 
support a long-term commitment to assisting the 
countries of Central America to improve security by 
combating illicit narcotics trafficking, investing in 
prevention programs, increasing intelligence sharing, 
improving regional security coordination, improving 
border and customs capabilities, professionalizing 
police, justice, and other government officials, and 
funding programs to reintegrate deportees from the 
United States. 
(3) The countries of Central America are com-
mitted to combating illicit narcotics trafficking and 
its related violence and crime, including gang vio-
lence, and the United States must seize the oppor-
tunity to work in partnership with Central America. 
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Subtitle A—Law Enforcement and 
Security Assistance 
SEC. 211. PURPOSES OF ASSISTANCE. 
The purposes of assistance authorized by this subtitle 
are to— 
(1) enhance the ability of governments of coun-
tries of Central America to control illicit narcotics 
production, trafficking, illicit drug trafficking orga-
nizations, and organized crime; 
(2) help build the capacity of law enforcement 
agencies of the countries of Central America to con-
trol illicit narcotics production, trafficking, illicit 
drug trafficking organizations, and organized crime; 
(3) strengthen the bilateral ties of the United 
States with the countries of Central America by of-
fering concrete assistance in this area of great mu-
tual concern; 
(4) strengthen respect for internationally recog-
nized human rights and the rule of law in efforts to 
stabilize the security environment relating to the il-
licit narcotics production and trafficking and orga-
nized crime; and 
(5) support the judicial branch of governments 
of the countries of Central America, as well as to 
support anti-corruption efforts in such countries. 
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SEC. 212. AUTHORIZATION OF ASSISTANCE. 
To carry out the purposes of section 211, the Presi-
dent is authorized to provide assistance for the countries 
of Central America to support the activities described in 
section 213. 
SEC. 213. ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED. 
Activities that may be supported by assistance under 
section 212 include the following: 
(1) 
COUNTERNARCOTICS, 
COUNTERTRAFFICKING, AND RELATED SECURITY.— 
(A) ASSISTANCE
OBJECTIVES.—To assist 
in the following: 
(i) Investigation and collection of in-
telligence against illicit drug trafficking. 
(ii) Combating illegal trafficking in 
arms. 
(iii) Prevention of bulk currency 
smuggling. 
(iv) Collection of information on crime 
and establishment of a regional database. 
(B) ASSISTANCE.—Activities under sub-
paragraph (A) may include— 
(i) automated fingerprint identifica-
tion systems (AFIS); 
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(ii) vetting sensitive investigative units 
to collaborate on counternarcotics at the 
Federal, State, and local levels; 
(iii) technical assistance to develop 
strong and effective financial crimes inves-
tigation units; 
(iv) maritime security support, includ-
ing refurbishing and procuring patrol 
boats; 
(v) firearms interdiction training; and 
(vi) illicit drug demand reduction pro-
grams. 
(2) PUBLIC
SECURITY
AND
LAW
ENFORCE-
MENT.—To assist in building the capacity of the po-
lice in countries of Central America, supporting ef-
forts to combat transnational gangs, investing in 
gang prevention and rehabilitation programs, and 
programs for the reintegration of deportees, includ-
ing assistance such as— 
(A) funding to continue the United States- 
Central American Integration System (SICA) 
Dialogue; 
(B) youth gang prevention activities, in-
cluding targeted education for at-risk youth, vo-
cational training and funding of community 
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centers in areas with high youth gang violence 
rates and other risk factors; 
(C) programs to reintegrate deportees from 
the United States back into the societies of 
their home countries to avoid further criminal 
activity; 
(D) transnational anti-gang initiatives; 
(E) police professionalization, including— 
(i) training regarding use of force; 
(ii) human rights education and train-
ing; 
(iii) training regarding evidence pres-
ervation and chain of custody; and 
(iv) enhanced capacity to vet can-
didates; 
(F) utilization of the International Law 
Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in El Salvador 
consistent with traditional respect for human 
rights and professional police practices; 
(G) police training programs of the Orga-
nization of American States (OAS); 
(H) police equipment, including commu-
nications equipment; and 
(I) anti-domestic violence education pro-
grams and women’s shelters. 
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SEC. 214. LIMITATION ON ASSISTANCE. 
(a) LIMITATION.—No assistance may be provided 
under this subtitle to any unit of the armed forces of a 
country of Central America or any unit of the law enforce-
ment agencies of a country of Central America if the Sec-
retary of State determines that, consistent with section 
620J of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 
2378d), there is credible evidence that such unit has com-
mitted gross violations of human rights. 
(b) EXCEPTION.—The limitation in subsection (a) 
shall not apply if the Secretary of State determines and 
reports to the appropriate congressional committees that 
the government of the relevant country of Central America 
is taking effective means to bring the responsible members 
of the unit of the armed forces or law enforcement agen-
cies, as the case may be, to justice. 
SEC. 215. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—To carry out this subtitle, there 
are authorized to be appropriated to the President 
$60,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, $80,000,000 for fiscal 
year 2009, and $80,000,000 for fiscal year 2010. 
(b) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts appropriated pursuant 
to the authorization of appropriations under subsection (a) 
are— 
(1) authorized to remain available until ex-
pended; and 
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(2) in addition to funds otherwise available for 
such purposes, including funds under chapters 2 and 
8 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 
(22 U.S.C. 2166 and 2291 et seq.). 
(c) LIMITATION.—Of the amounts appropriated pur-
suant to the authorization of appropriations under sub-
section (a) for any fiscal year, at least $15,000,000 should 
be made available to carry out section 213(2)(B). 
Subtitle B—Assistance to Enhance 
the Rule of Law and Strengthen 
Civilian Institutions 
SEC. 221. AUTHORIZATION OF ASSISTANCE. 
The President is authorized to provide assistance for 
the countries of Central America to support the activities 
described in section 222. 
SEC. 222. ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED. 
Activities that may be supported by assistance under 
section 221 include assistance in building the capacity, 
transparency, and trust in the justice system of the coun-
tries of Central America and reducing high impunity rates 
in the countries of Central America, including assistance 
such as— 
(1) improved police academies and entry level 
training on crime investigations; 
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(2) courts management and prosecutor capacity 
building; 
(3) witness and victim protection programs, in-
cluding in Guatemala in coordination with the 
United Nations International Commission Against 
Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG); 
(4) programs to enhance transparency in the 
procedures to designate and remove personnel in the 
recipient country’s judicial system; 
(5) prosecutor and judge protection programs, 
including in Guatemala and in coordination with the 
CICIG; 
(6) short-term assignment of United States 
Government personnel to the CICIG to provide tech-
nical assistance for criminal investigations, specifi-
cally but not limited to investigations involving 
money laundering so long as this assignment does 
not negatively impact United States domestic oper-
ations; 
(7) regional juvenile justice reform; 
(8) prison management; 
(9) programs to rehabilitate gang members re-
leased from prison, including job training; and 
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(10) community policing, including human 
rights and use of force training for community polic-
ing projects. 
SEC. 223. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—To carry out this title, there are 
authorized 
to 
be 
appropriated 
to 
the 
President 
$40,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, $50,000,000 for fiscal 
year 2009, and $95,000,000 for fiscal year 2010. 
(b) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts appropriated pursuant 
to the authorization of appropriations under subsection (a) 
are— 
(1) authorized to remain available until ex-
pended; and 
(2) in addition to funds otherwise available for 
such purposes, including funds available under chap-
ters 2 and 8 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act 
of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2166 and 2291 et seq.). 
TITLE III—ADMINISTRATIVE 
PROVISIONS 
SEC. 301. CONDITIONS ON PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The President may not provide 
assistance under title I or II to a foreign country for a 
fiscal year until the end of a 15-day period beginning on 
the date on which the President determines to the appro-
priate congressional committees that the requirements de-
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scribed in subsection (b) have been met with respect to 
the government of such foreign country for such fiscal 
year. 
(b) REQUIRED DETERMINATION.—The requirements 
referred to in subsection (a) are the following: 
(1) The provision of assistance will not ad-
versely affect the human rights situation in the for-
eign country. 
(2) Vetting procedures are in place to ensure 
that members and units of the armed forces and law 
enforcement agencies of the foreign country that 
may receive assistance under title I or II have not 
been involved in human rights violations. 
(3) The civilian authority in the foreign country 
is investigating and prosecuting any member of any 
government agency or entity receiving assistance 
under title I or II who has been credibly alleged to 
have committed human rights violations on or after 
the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(4) Equipment and material provided as sup-
port is being used only by officials and employees of 
the government of the foreign country who have 
been approved by such government to perform coun-
ternarcotics activities, including on the basis of the 
background investigations by such government. 
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(5) The government of the foreign country has 
cooperated with the Secretary of State to ensure 
that— 
(A) the equipment and material provided 
as support will be used only by the officials and 
employees referred to in paragraph (4); 
(B) none of the equipment or material will 
be transferred (by sale, gift, or otherwise) to 
any person or entity not authorized by the 
United States to receive the equipment or mate-
rial; and 
(C) the equipment and material will, to the 
extent possible, be used for the purposes in-
tended by the United States Government and 
will be utilized by those agencies for whom such 
assistance is intended. 
(6) The government of the foreign country has 
implemented, in consultation with the Secretary of 
State, a system that will provide an accounting and 
inventory of the equipment and material provided as 
support. 
(7) The government of the foreign country will, 
along with United States personnel, conduct periodic 
observation and review of the use of the equipment 
and material provided as support under terms and 
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conditions similar to the terms and conditions im-
posed with respect to such observation and review 
under section 505(a)(3) of the Foreign Assistance 
Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2314(a)(3)). 
(8) To the extent the foreign country has re-
ceived equipment in the past, it has utilized the 
equipment properly and in a manner that warrants 
additional provision of equipment or assistance. 
SEC. 302. LIMITATIONS ON PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) activities undertaken under titles I and II 
of this Act should be performed wherever possible by 
official employees, personnel, or officers of the Fed-
eral, State, or local government of the recipient for-
eign country; and 
(2) the United States should limit, to the max-
imum extent possible, the number of United States 
civilians and foreign nationals retained as contrac-
tors in a recipient country. 
(b) LIMITATIONS.—Except as provided in subsection 
(c)— 
(1) none of the funds made available to carry 
out title I may be available for the employment of 
any United States individual civilian retained as a 
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contractor in Mexico or any foreign national retained 
as a contractor if that employment would cause the 
total number of individual civilian contractors em-
ployed in Mexico in support of the Merida Initiative 
who are funded by Federal funds to exceed 50; 
(2) none of the funds made available to carry 
out title II may be available for the employment of 
any United States individual civilian retained as a 
contractor in a country of Central America or any 
foreign national retained as a contractor if that em-
ployment would cause the total number of individual 
civilian contractors employed in all countries of Cen-
tral America in support of the Merida Initiative who 
are funded by Federal funds to exceed 100; and 
(3) none of the funds made available under this 
Act shall be made available for budget support or 
cash payments. 
(c) EXCEPTION.—The limitations contained in sub-
section (b) shall not apply if the President determines that 
it is in the national interest of the United States that such 
limitations shall not apply and transmits to the appro-
priate congressional committees a notification thereof. 
SEC. 303. LIMITATION ON MONITORING. 
Beginning on October 1, 2009, no surveillance-re-
lated equipment may be transferred under this Act to any 
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entity of Mexico or a country of Central America unless 
the President determines that the recipient country has 
cooperated with the United States to ensure that such 
equipment will be used principally for the purposes for 
which it is provided. 
SEC. 304. EXEMPTION FROM PROHIBITION ON ASSISTANCE 
FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT FORCES. 
Notwithstanding section 660 of the Foreign Assist-
ance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2420; relating to the prohibi-
tion on assistance to foreign law enforcement forces), the 
President may provide assistance under title I or II if, at 
least 15 days before providing the assistance, the Presi-
dent notifies the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign 
Relations of the Senate, in accordance with the procedures 
applicable to reprogramming notifications pursuant to sec-
tion 634A of the Foreign Assistance Act (22 U.S.C. 2394– 
1), that (1) it is in the national interest to provide such 
assistance, and (2) the recipient country is making signifi-
cant progress to eliminating any human rights violations. 
SEC. 305. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER AUTHORITY. 
(a) ASSISTANCE UNDER TITLE I.—The authority to 
provide assistance under title I is in addition to any other 
authority to provide assistance for Mexico. 
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(b) ASSISTANCE UNDER TITLE II.—The authority to 
provide assistance under title I is in addition to any other 
authority to provide assistance for the countries of Central 
America. 
SEC. 306. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 
Nothing in title I or II shall be construed to alter, 
modify, or otherwise affect the provisions of the Arms Ex-
port Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.) unless otherwise 
specified in this Act. 
TITLE IV—SUPPORT ACTIVITIES 
IN THE UNITED STATES 
SEC. 401. REPORT ON REDUCTION OF DRUG DEMAND IN 
THE UNITED STATES. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) supply-side drug reduction strategies when 
executed alone are not an effective way to fight the 
phenomenon of illegal narcotics; 
(2) the Government of Mexico has identified re-
duction of United States drug demand as among the 
most important contributions the United States can 
make to a joint strategy to combat drug trafficking; 
and 
(3) the United States pledged in the United 
States-Mexico October 2007 Joint Statement on the 
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Merida Initiative, to ‘‘intensify its efforts to address 
all aspects of drug trafficking (including demand re-
lated portions)’’ here in the United States. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the President shall transmit 
to the appropriate congressional committees a report on 
the measures taken to intensify United States efforts to 
address United States demand-related aspects of the drug- 
trafficking phenomenon in accordance with the Joint 
Statement on the Merida Initiative announced by the 
United States and Mexico on October 22, 2007. 
SEC. 402. REDUCTION OF SOUTHBOUND FLOW OF ILLEGAL 
WEAPONS. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) much of the increased violence in Mexico is 
perpetrated using firearms and ammunition smug-
gled illegally from the United States into Mexico; 
(2) the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms 
and Explosives (ATF) has told Congress of an ‘‘iron 
river of guns’’ with thousands of weapons per week 
illegally crossing into Mexico from the United 
States; 
(3) more than 90 percent of the guns con-
fiscated yearly in Mexico originate in the United 
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States and approximately 40 percent of the total 
trafficked weapons are linked to drug trafficking or-
ganizations; 
(4) along the 2,000 mile border from Browns-
ville, Texas, to San Diego, California, there are 
6,700 licensed gun sellers, but only 100 Bureau of 
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) 
special agents to investigate allegations of weapons 
trafficking and only 35 inspectors to ensure compli-
ance with United States laws; 
(5) on January 16, 2008, ATF announced that 
it will add 25 special agents and 15 inspectors to 
their Project Gunrunner along the Southwest Bor-
der. And, the ATF budget request for fiscal year 
2009 includes funding for another 12 inspectors; 
and 
(6) an effective strategy to combat these illegal 
arms flows is a critical part of a United States con-
tribution to a jointly executed anti-narcotics strategy 
with Mexico. 
(b) PROJECT GUNRUNNER INITIATIVE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General shall 
dedicate and expand the resources provided for the 
Project Gunrunner initiative (hereafter in this sub-
section referred to as the ‘‘initiative’’) of the Bureau 
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