Cohen sponsors bill to combat drug smuggling

WASHINGTON — The Senate has voted $1 million to fund a measure sponsored by Sen. William S. Cohen to put America’s technological expertise to work in the war on drugs.

The action came on an amendment to the fiscal 1991 appropriations bill for the Treasury Department and was passed by voice vote. Final Senate action was expected Tuesday.

The bill would fund a new office under the direction of William Bennett, charged with promoting and coordinating research and development efforts to combat drug-trafficking.

Legislation to create the office was sponsored by Cohen and is included in the 1991 defense authorization bill, now pending in the House.

“I am very pleased that the Senate has included these funds, which will provide a good start in our efforts to make drug smuggling a far less lucrative enterprise,” Cohen said. “There is no substitute for reducing the demand for drugs, but we also have to make them less available, and I believe this legislation is critical to that effort.”

At a Senate Judiciary hearing last March, demonstrations were held of technological inventions such as lasers to detect drug production facilities and transmitters to track cargo shipments. “There clearly are many areas where technological advances like these can help stem the flow of drugs into the United States,” Cohen said. “But unfortunately, there has been no high-level organization within our government to oversee research and development, identify requirements, establish priorities and provide advocacy for the most promising projects. The pending legislation is designed to correct that.”