A resolution commending President Bush for promoting and participating in the drug summit in Colombia on February 15, 1990, and urging the President to take steps at the drug summit to promote the enactment and enforcement of chemical diversion laws.

Commends President Bush for agreeing to represent the United States at the drug summit in Colombia on February 15, 1990.

Urges the President to: (1) request that all countries ratify the U.N. Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and enact strong chemical diversion laws; (2) work with Colombian, Bolivian, and Peruvian authorities to cooperate with their drug enforcement officials to eliminate chemical diversion in their countries; and (3) encourage the Colombians to institute internal licensing requirements to control the flow of chemicals.

 
SRES 244 ES
S. Res. 244
In the Senate of the United States,
February 8 (legislative day, January 23), 1990.
Whereas President Bush has announced his intentions to represent the United
States at the drug summit in Bogota, Colombia on February 15, 1990, thus
lending the summit high-level credibility;
Whereas solving the drug abuse problem in the United States is universally
acknowledged as our greatest domestic challenge;
Whereas the United States Government spent $9.4 billion in fiscal year 1990
for anti-drug abuse programs;
Whereas it is estimated that 250,000 babies will be born suffering effects
from their mothers' drug use during pregnancy;
Whereas from January to June 1989 more than 117,000 persons were treated in
emergency rooms for narcotics;
Whereas a National Institute of Justice study determined that 80 percent
of males arrested for violent crimes in Washington, D.C., New York City,
Philadelphia, and San Diego, tested positive for illegal drug use;
Whereas it is widely known that chemicals are critical in the processing of
illegal narcotics, that chemicals produced worldwide are shipped to Colombia,
and that more than 40 percent of these chemicals are being diverted to the
drug cartels;
Whereas the United States took positive action in 1988 by passing the
Chemical Diversion and Trafficking Act which gives the Drug Enforcement
Administration the authority to stop shipments of chemicals not destined
for legitimate industrial, commercial, or scientific use; and
Whereas although the United States and 76 other countries signed the United
Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic
Substances, only four countries, the United States, the Bahamas, Nigeria,
and China, have ratified the Convention: Now, therefore, be it
  Resolved, That the Senate commends President Bush for his courage and
  initiative in agreeing to represent the United States at the drug summit
  in Colombia on February 15, 1990, and urges the President to include among
  the steps he takes at the drug summit, efforts to promote the enactment
  and enforcement of chemical diversion laws, including--
  (1) requesting all countries to ratify the United Nations Convention
  Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs;
  (2) requesting all countries to enact laws as strong as the United States
  chemical diversion laws;
  (3) working with Colombian, Bolivian, and Peruvian authorities, many of
  whom risk their lives every day, to provide full cooperation with their
  drug enforcement officials to eliminate the diversion of chemicals in
  their countries; and
  (4) encouraging the Colombians to institute internal licensing requirements
  to control the flow of chemicals.
Attest:
Secretary.