THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

FACT SHEET

Defense Drawdowns To Aid Foreign Anti-Drug Programs

The President announced today that he had notified Congress September 14th of his intent to direct two drawdowns of Defense articles, services and training for foreign anti-drug assistance under Section 506 (a) (2) of the Foreign Assistance Act, worth a total of $112 million in aid for foreign anti-drug programs.

The first drawdown, under fiscal year 1996 authority, would occur on September 30, worth $75 million, and we anticipate it will include:

          for the Colombian CNP; UH-1H helicopters, 2 C-26 
       observation aircraft, flight support equipment, 
       field equipment, and communications gear.

          for the Colombian military; river patrol boats, 
       UH-1H helicopters, 3 C-26 observation aircraft, 
       aircraft spare parts, communications gear, field 
       equipment, training and utility vehicles 

          for the Venezuelan military; 2 C-26 observation 
       aircraft, river patrol boats, communications gear 
       and training

          for the Peruvian military; 4 C-26 observation 
       aircraft, river patrol boats and communications gear

          for the Eastern Caribbean states within the 
       Regional Security System (RSS) (includes Antigua and 
       Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and 
       Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines); 
       2 C-26 observation aircraft, patrol boats, training, 
       , flight crew equipment and communications gear

The second drawdown, under fiscal year 1997 authority and worth $37 million, would occur at the beginning of FY97, in October and we anticipate it will include:

          for the Mexican military, 53 UH-1H helicopters, 
       spare parts and training and 4 C-26 observation 
       aircraft.

These drawdowns of defense articles and services will assist our allies in stopping the flow of drugs at the source, before they reach our shores.

The special authority of section 506(a)(2) is reserved to the President. Under this section, up to $75 million per fiscal year worth of articles, services and training can be provided from the inventory and resources of the Department of Defense for international narcotics control assistance. To direct a section 506(a)(2) drawdown, the President must determine that to do so is "in the national interest of the United States."

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