WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tom Udall, D-NM, has been appointed to the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control, a formal organization of the Senate charged with monitoring and encouraging international cooperation against drug abuse and narcotics trafficking.
The Caucus, informally known as the Senate Drug Caucus, also promotes international compliance with narcotics control treaties. It regularly holds hearings and issues reports on U.S. narcotics control policy, with topics that have included eradication, trafficking, interdiction, border control, drug strategies, assessments of federal programs and money laundering issues.
"More than many other states, New Mexico faces myriad problems associated with drug smuggling. The Mexico-New Mexico international border is approximately 180 miles of open, uninhabited desert, leaving numerous points of entry difficult to navigate. Heroin and other drugs have steadily become more available, as made evident by the increase in seizures and the decrease in illegal drug prices. As a formal federal prosecutor and New Mexico Attorney General, I know the toll that drug abuse can take on our communities. I also know that the input and involvement of community members and organizations can be crucial in addressing this problem. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Caucus and the Obama Administration to help shape a comprehensive strategy for addressing our nation’s drug problem."
Other members of the Caucus include: Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) chairman; Charles E. Grassley (R-IA), co-chairman; Jeff Sessions (R-AL); Charles Schumer (D-NY); and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).
