	The Andean Counterdrug Initiative

U.S. support for Plan Colombia began in 2000, when Congress passed legislation providing$1.3 billion in interdiction and development assistance ( P.L. 106-246 ) for Colombia and six regionalneighbors. For FY2005, Congress appropriated anadditional $731 million. Related Funding Programs

Additional funding for the Andean region is provided through the Foreign Military Financing(FMF) program and the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program, bothmanaged by the State Department. Congress approved $106.5 million for the region, with nearly $100million for Colombia. IMET funding for the Andean region is estimated at $2.8 million in FY2004 out of atotal of $13.4 million for all of Latin America. It further recommends that the State Department not request FY2006 funds fordemobilization unless the Department of Justice determines the activities are consistent with U.S.anti-terrorism laws and that 
1) the FTO is respecting a ceasefire and cessation of illegal activities; 
2) the Colombian government has not adopted any law or policy inconsistent with its obligationsunder the U.S.-Colombian extradition treaty and has committed to the U.S. that it willcontinue to extradite Colombians, including members of illegally armed groups; 
3) the Colombian legal framework governing demobilization provides for prosecution andpunishment in proportion to the crimes committed of those responsible for gross violationsof human rights, violations of international humanitarian law, and drug trafficking, as wellas providing for reparations of victims and the monitoring of demobilized individuals; 
4) the Colombian government is implementing a policy of dismantling such groups, includingseizure of financial and property assets; and 
5) the Colombian government is taking actions to enable the return of stolen assets, including realproperty, to their original owners. Economic Assistance Request. Peru and Boliviaare the primary beneficiaries of Development Assistance and Child Survival and Health funds. Assistance to Colombia and Neighboring Countries

The Andean Counterdrug Initiative was designed to provide assistance to seven countries inthe broadly defined Andean region: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, andVenezuela. The three groups have been designated foreignterrorist organizations by the United States. Recent debate on U.S. policytoward Colombia has taken place in a context of concern over the sheer volume of illegal drugsavailable in the United States and elsewhere in the world, and security concerns that have come intosharper focus after the attacks of September 11, 2001. In response to a request by the Administration and a report by the Council of ForeignRelations that recommended increasing the number of U.S. military and civilian personnel allowedto be deployed in support of Plan Colombia, the Senate approved the Administration request to raisethe statutory caps on military personnel from 400 to 800, and on civilian contractors from 400 to 600in the FY2005 National Defense Authorization Act ( S. 2400 / S.Rept. (5) The House-passed NationalDefense Authorization Act ( H.R. 4200 / H.Rept. The Conference Report (108-767) was passed byboth chambers on October 9, 2004, and sent to the White House on October 21, 2004 ( P.L. Peru received no FMF funding. Despite various policy disagreements with the United States, Venezuela hascooperated with the United States in counternarcotics efforts. For FY2005, the Administration requested $3 million in ACI funding. H.R. (25) On February 27, 2004,Senator Richard Lugar, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced S. 2144 , the FY2005 Foreign Affairs Authorization Act. Theseprovisions were also contained in S. 925 , the FY2004 Foreign Relations AuthorizationAct, and S. 1161 , the FY2004 Foreign Assistance Authorization Act, neither of whichwere enacted. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee reported out S. 925 ( S.Rept. 108-39 ),on April 24, 2003 with one provision related to Colombia and the Andean region. Section1023 extends for an additional two years expanded authority to use Defense Department counterdrugfunds to support a unified campaign against narcotics cultivation and trafficking, and againstassociated terrorist organizations in Colombia.
In 2004, Congress considered a number of issues relating to the Andean region and drugtrafficking. The Administration requested $731 million for the Andean Counterdrug Initiative forFY2005, and $114 million for economic assistance programs. Congress also changed the level ofU.S. military and civilian contractor personnel allowed to be deployed in Colombia, in response toan Administration request. Congress continues to express concern with the volume of drugs readilyavailable in the United States and elsewhere in the world. The three largest producers of cocaine areColombia, Bolivia, and Peru, with 90% of the cocaine in the United States originating in, or passingthrough, Colombia. Regional security issues have also come into sharper focus after the attacks ofSeptember 11, 2001.
The United States has made a significant commitment of funds and material support to helpColombia and the Andean region fight drug trafficking since the development of Plan Colombia in1999. Congress passed legislation providing $1.3 billion in assistance for FY2000 ( P.L. 106-246 )for Colombia and its neighbors. From FY2000 through FY2005, the United States has provided atotal of about $5.4 billion for the region in both State Department and Defense Departmentcounternarcotics funds. Congress appropriated $731 million in FY2005 funds for the AndeanCounterdrug Initiative, with an additional $106.5 million in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) funds. The United States also provides funding for Development Assistance, Child Survival and Health,and Economic Support Funds. In FY2005, this economic assistance was estimated to be $115.3million for ACI countries. Since 2002, Congress has granted expanded authority to usecounternarcotics funds for a unified campaign to fight both drug trafficking and terroristorganizations in Colombia. Three illegally armed groups in Colombia participate in drug productionand trafficking, and have been designated foreign terrorist organizations by the State Department.
In the first session of the 108th Congress, the House passed and the Senate considered theFY2004 Foreign Relations Authorization Act ( H.R. 1950 / S. 925 ) withprovisions relating to Colombia and drug interdiction programs in the Andean region. The SenateForeign Relations Committee reported out the FY2004 Foreign Assistance Authorization Act( S. 1161 / S.Rept. 108-56 ) with several modifications on assistance to ACI countries.Neither of these bills received final approval. On March 4, 2004, the Senate Foreign RelationsCommittee reported out S. 2144 , the Foreign Affairs Authorization Act for Fiscal Year2005. It includes several provisions relating to Colombia and the Andean region that are similar tolanguage contained in S. 925. The FY2005 National Defense Authorization Act( H.R. 4200 , H.Rept. 108-767 ) was passed on October 9, 2004, and included provisionsrelating to the Andean region, including raising the statutory caps on U.S. personnel assigned inColombia.
This report will not be updated.