(C) nonintrusive monitoring technology. 
(3) OPERATIONAL TECHNOLOGY.— 
(A) ASSISTANCE OBJECTIVES.—To assist in 
investigation 
and 
collection 
of 
intelligence 
against illicit drug trafficking organizations, in-
cluding— 
(i) expansion of intelligence databases; 
and 
(ii) hardware, operating systems, and 
training for updating the communications 
networks of security agencies. 
(B) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 
Congress that— 
(i) operational technology transferred 
to the Government of Mexico for intelligence 
or law enforcement purposes should be used 
solely for the purposes for which the oper-
ational 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 free-
dom of expression, freedom of movement, 
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freedom of association, and full respect of 
privacy rights. 
(4) PUBLIC
SECURITY
AND
LAW
ENFORCE-
MENT.—To assist in the modernization of law enforce-
ment entities and prevent crime, including assistance 
and activities such as— 
(A) law enforcement training and equip-
ment, including— 
(i) transport helicopters; 
(ii) surveillance aircraft, including 
Cessna Caravan light utility aircraft; 
(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; and 
(D) reduction of drug demand in Mexico, 
including activities such as— 
(i) assistance to the National Council 
Against Addictions (CONADIC) to establish 
an Internet web-based support network; 
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(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 avail-
able to carry out this subtitle to provide helicopters to the 
Government of Mexico, shall, to the extent possible, be used 
to procure or provide helicopters that are of a similar man-
ufacture to those helicopters already in the possession of the 
Government of Mexico in order to facilitate integration of 
those assets into Mexico’s existing air fleet. 
(c) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Congress 
that the United States shall ensure, to the extent possible, 
that assistance under this subtitle is made available and 
cross-utilized by the armed forces of Mexico and relevant 
law enforcement agencies of the Government of Mexico, in-
cluding the Mexican Office of the Attorney General. 
SEC. 114. LIMITATION ON ASSISTANCE. 
(a) LIMITATION.—No assistance may be provided 
under this subtitle to any unit of the armed forces of Mexico 
or any unit of the law enforcement agencies of Mexico if 
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the Secretary of State determines that, consistent with sec-
tion 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 Mexico is taking effective measures to 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 fiscal year 2009, and 
$40,000,000 for fiscal year 2010. 
(b) LIMITATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Of the amounts appropriated 
pursuant to the authorization of appropriations 
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 
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(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 appro-
priations under subsection (a) for fiscal year 2009 
may be provided as assistance for the Mexican Secre-
tariat of Public Security until the President deter-
mines that the Mexican National Registry of Police 
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.). 
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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 orga-
nized crime initiative, the United States should support— 
(1) programs of the United States Agency for 
International Development and other United States 
agencies focused on strengthening civilian institutions 
and rule of law programs in Mexico at the federal, 
state, and local 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 
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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; 
(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; and 
(C) support for the Mexican Office of the 
Attorney General, including— 
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(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 
court institutions in Mexico to develop mechanisms to 
ensure due process and proper oversight and to re-
spond 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; 
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(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 crimi-
nal investigators; and 
(C) promotion of human rights, including— 
(i) support for human rights organiza-
tions, bar associations, and law schools; and 
(ii) training for police, prosecutors, 
and corrections officers. 
(3) PREVENTION.—To assist in the prevention of 
individuals from participating in illicit narcotics-re-
lated violent activities, such as— 
(A) establishment of programs that address 
domestic violence and increase school attendance 
rates; and 
(B) expansion of intervention programs, in-
cluding 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— 
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(A) expansion of alternative livelihood pro-
grams, including job creation programs and 
rural development programs and the provision of 
microenterprise development assistance under 
title VI of chapter 2 of part I of the Foreign As-
sistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2211 et seq.); 
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 fiscal year 2009, and 
$110,000,000 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-
ter 8 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. 
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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 illicit narcotics traf-
ficking and corruption because such countries are geo-
graphically 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 collec-
tive action to address these common security 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 capacity to exe-
cute such will.’’. 
(3) Crime and violence in Central America has 
increased in recent years. 
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(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 substan-
tial investment in prevention, rehabilitation, and re-
integration. 
(8) Deportees sent from the United States back 
to Central America, while not a central cause of 
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 narcotics traffickers and 
other organized criminals. 
(10) Violence between partners, particularly vio-
lence by men against their wives or girlfriends, is 
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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 Amer-
ica—reported having experienced domestic 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 Commis-
sion 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 agreement 
in July 2007 to improve intelligence sharing and po-
licing and to institutionalize dialogue on regional se-
curity. 
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 
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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 po-
lice, justice, and other government officials, and fund-
ing 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. 
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 
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production, trafficking, illicit drug trafficking organi-
zations, and organized crime; 
(2) help build the capacity of law enforcement 
agencies of the countries of Central America to control 
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 offer-
ing concrete assistance in this area of great mutual 
concern; 
(4) strengthen respect for internationally recog-
nized human rights and the rule of law in efforts to 
stabilize the security environment relating to illicit 
narcotics production and trafficking and organized 
crime; and 
(5) support the judicial branch of governments of 
the countries of Central America, as well as to sup-
port anti-corruption efforts in such countries. 
SEC. 212. AUTHORIZATION OF ASSISTANCE. 
To carry out the purposes of section 211, the President 
is authorized to provide assistance for the countries of Cen-
tral America to support the activities described in section 
213. 
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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 intel-
ligence against illicit narcotics trafficking. 
(ii) Combating illegal trafficking in 
arms. 
(iii) Prevention of bulk currency smug-
gling. 
(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); 
(ii) vetting sensitive investigative units 
to collaborate on counternarcotics at the fed-
eral, state, and local levels; 
(iii) technical assistance to develop 
strong and effective financial crimes inves-
tigation units; 
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(iv) maritime security support, includ-
ing refurbishing and procuring patrol boats; 
(v) firearms interdiction training; and 
(vi) illicit narcotics demand reduction 
programs. 
(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, including 
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 
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 activ-
ity; 
(D) transnational anti-gang initiatives; 
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(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 Organi-
zation of American States (OAS); 
(H) police equipment, including commu-
nications equipment; and 
(I) anti-domestic violence education pro-
grams and women’s shelters. 
SEC. 214. LIMITATION ON ASSISTANCE. 
(a) LIMITATION.—No assistance may be provided 
under this subtitle to any unit of the armed forces of a coun-
try of Central America or any unit of the law enforcement 
agencies of a country of Central America if the Secretary 
of State determines that, consistent with section 620J of the 
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2378d), there 
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is credible evidence that such unit has committed gross vio-
lations 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 measures to bring the responsible members 
of the unit of the armed forces or law enforcement agencies, 
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 
(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 pursu-
ant to the authorization of appropriations under subsection 
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(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; 
(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); 
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(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 Gov-
ernment personnel to the CICIG to provide technical 
assistance for criminal investigations, specifically but 
not limited to investigations involving money laun-
dering so long as this assignment does not negatively 
impact United States domestic operations; 
(7) regional juvenile justice reform; 
(8) prison management; 
(9) programs to rehabilitate gang members re-
leased from prison, including job training; and 
(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. 
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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-
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 as-
sistance 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 transmits to the appropriate con-
gressional committees a determination that the require-
ments described 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 adversely 
affect the human rights situation in the foreign coun-
try. 
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(2) Vetting procedures are in place to ensure that 
members and units of the armed forces and law en-
forcement agencies of the foreign country that may re-
ceive assistance under title I or II have not been in-
volved 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 support 
is being used only by officials and employees of the 
government of the foreign country who have been ap-
proved by such government to perform counter-
narcotics activities, including on the basis of the back-
ground investigations by such government. 
(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 
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person or entity not authorized by the United 
States to receive the equipment or material; and 
(C) the equipment and material will, to the 
extent possible, be used for the purposes intended 
by the United States Government and will be 
utilized by those agencies for which such assist-
ance 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 
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 received 
equipment in the past, it has utilized the equipment 
properly and in a manner that warrants additional 
provision of equipment or assistance. 
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SEC. 302. LIMITATIONS ON PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Congress 
that— 
(1) activities undertaken under titles I and II of 
this Act should be performed wherever possible by offi-
cial employees, personnel, or officers of the federal, 
state, or local government of the recipient foreign 
country; and 
(2) the United States should limit, to the max-
imum extent possible, the number of United States ci-
vilians and foreign nationals retained as contractors 
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 con-
tractor in Mexico or any foreign national retained as 
a contractor if that employment would cause the total 
number of individual civilian contractors employed 
in Mexico in support of the Merida Initiative who are 
funded by United States 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 con-
tractor in a country of Central America or any for-
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eign national retained as a contractor if that employ-
ment would cause the total number of individual ci-
vilian contractors employed in all countries of Cen-
tral America in support of the Merida Initiative who 
are funded by United States 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-related 
equipment may be transferred under this Act to any entity 
of Mexico or a country of Central America unless the Presi-
dent 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 pro-
vided. 
SEC. 304. EXEMPTION FROM PROHIBITION ON ASSISTANCE 
FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT FORCES. 
Notwithstanding section 660 of the Foreign Assistance 
Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2420; relating to the prohibition 
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on assistance to foreign law enforcement forces), the Presi-
dent may provide assistance under title I or II if, at least 
15 days before providing the assistance, the President noti-
fies the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate, in accordance with the procedures applicable to re-
programming notifications pursuant to section 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 significant 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. 
(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, mod-
ify, or otherwise affect the provisions of the Arms Export 
Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.) unless otherwise speci-
fied in this Act. 
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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 Congress 
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 illicit narcotics 
trafficking; and 
(3) the United States pledged in the United 
States-Mexico October 2007 Joint Statement on the 
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-traf-
ficking phenomenon in accordance with the Joint State-
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ment 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 Congress 
that— 
(1) much of the increased violence in Mexico is 
perpetrated using firearms and ammunition smuggled 
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 il-
legally crossing into Mexico from the United States; 
(3) more than 90 percent of the guns confiscated 
yearly in Mexico originate in the United States and 
approximately 40 percent of the total trafficked weap-
ons are linked to drug trafficking organizations; 
(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 traf-
ficking and only 35 inspectors to ensure compliance 
with United States laws; 
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