The Ranking Member is on his way. The reason for the early hearing is that we have votes. And people go back to the district today so i want to make sure i got this hearing in. I am going to begin. Other members will be walking in as the hearing is progressing. This hearing will come to order. This hearing entitled assessing u. S. Security assistance to mexico will focus on evaluating the extent to which u. S. Assistance under the initiative has been affected. It is straightening u. S. Mexico justice section combatting crime and protecting human rights. Without objection, all members may have five days to submit statements, questions, subterraneous materials for the record. Subject to the length of it limitation and the rules, i will now make an Opening Statement and turn it over to the Ranking Member for his Opening Statement. Before i open with my statement, i want to thank everyone that is here, it is early, it is miserable outside and i certainly want to thank the witnesses for being here. Good morning everyone and thank you to all witnesses who are here today. In reading the news over the last few weeks, this shocking headlines from mexico have been impossible to escape. Last week, i saw that kids as young as six years old are armed in defending their families in the rural part. As cartels have sought to assert control over the area, the murder rate has doubled and the community has nearly shut down. Kids, who should be in School Learning math or science, are instead learning how to fire shotguns and ambush armored vehicles. As a former teacher, i believe that nothing is more sacred than the investment we make in our childrens future. It broke my heart to think that these kids are being deprived of the rights to learn and grow free from violence and fear. We know that what is happening is just a microcosm of the broader trends we are seeing across mexico. Mexicos homicide rate has reached its highest level in decades. Targeted attacks against journalists, human rights defenders and local Public Officials have continued at rates higher than almost anywhere in the world. A recent report from the International Federation for journalists, found that mexico is the deadliest country in the world for journalists. Of the 49 journalists killing, it was documented in 2019, ten were in mexico. Most journalists murderers, like most homicide to mexico, are never solved. I have long advocated for robust u. S. Assistance to help mexico strengthen its democratic institution, combat corruption, defend human rights and improve security. I believe that mexico and the United States have a shared responsibility to reduce Violent Crimes and improve quality of life for those living on both sides of our border. The United States must enact stricter gun laws, educate more resources to combat Money Laundering by the cartels and increase investment in programs to reduce domestic demand for Illegal Drugs. We also expect a sincere commitment on the mexican side to reduce this violence. I appreciate the efforts to mexico Security Forces are making, but they are being outgunned by these braising and well resourced cartels. Common cause, released a report this week showing that 953 Police Officers have been murdered in mexico in just the past two years. I admire those courageous individuals who are putting their lives on the line, but it is clear that substantial, political commitment is needed to address the underlying problem of impunity and corruption, which are perpetuating the violence in mexico. Now is the time for the u. S. Government to look critically at our assisted programs to determine what is working and what is not. I am eager to hear from the state department and u. S. Aid about our strategy and how congress can measure tangible process under the initiatives. I sincerely hope that the Trump Administration is prioritizing security in our engagement with rex with mexico rather than pressuring mexico to using National Guards. I know that many of my colleagues share my frustration that we are not making more progress under the initiative. I hope that this hearing will help us develop a clear sense of what is next. What next up we should take. I look forward to working with my colleagues and with the executive branch on the bipartisan basis to explore solutions to the difficult challenges. Thank you and i now turn it over to Ranking Member rouhani for his Opening Statement. Thank you chairman for holding a second hearing to follow up on this very important issue regarding the security situation in mexico. The relation with mexico is among the most strategically important relationships for the United States. Reeling by geography, geographic Price Committee as well as economical has, and historical cultural ties. Directly impacts our country. In recent years, they have brought widespread violence, criminality and deteriorating security condition in mexico, which has largely been driven by the drug cartels. You can ignore the fact that the paper today had the article about the syndrome. Cooperation is a critical component of our relationship with mexico and it is important we review security conditions there and our sisters programs to identify what has been most effective and what has been ineffective in assisting the country to address its challenges. We snow back to mexico have resulted in the death of nine u. S. Citizens including three children at the hands of the drug cartels. A need for both United States and mexico to take steps together to address them. Through intimidation, extortion, corruption and pervasive violence, the mexican people are terrorize daily. The lopez administration is taking steps to having newly created Mexican National guard take the lead on security. This forces also supported some immigration enforcement. Much work remains to properly train and equip them and questions remain about other steps the Mexican Government can take to address the security challenges. Despite the efforts Previous Administration to combat cartel with a 30 percent increase of mexicos homicide rate further the cartels have expanded the drug trade to supply the synthetic opioids. And heroine read the book dreamland. We must also acknowledge the illegal weapons from the United States and mexico especially assault weapons and highpowered leopard weapons that contribute to systemic corruption and lack of rule of law since 2007 the initiative provided 3 million in security aid to mexico from 2014 through 22 us security assistant have focused on human rights in mexico the trump ministration has added focus of financing of the cartels and combating opioids and synthetic drugs, which i think is a positive step United States and mexico must continue to Work Together to ensure that Regional Security priorities are addressed its also critical that the Mexican Government communicates to us and present a comprehensive Security Strategy that us assistance can support. The first the United States should explore ways to modernize the Security Assistance and continue intelligence sharing capacity and also review the coordination on the border to support mexicos efforts to carry out inspections and screenings that has come a long way but we must continue to build the relationship on cooperation it is a joint responsibility for both countries to do so thank you mr. Chairman and Career Foreign Service officers for being here today and i look forward to hearing your testimony. Thank you very much Ranking Member rooney. I will now introduce mr. Hugo rodrigues was a Career Foreign Service officer who most recently served as deputy chief and previously served at the us embassy and later as missions acting minister for affairs. We welcome you to the hearing. We will then hear from the assistant secretary of state and bureau of International Narcotics. In his current role he oversees the program to oversee the work with the 2000 of it in of 2011 and also serving in argentina. Thank you for joining us today and finally will hear from Barbara Feinstein usa member of the overseas usaid program to mexico and Central America and caribbean. Previously Deputy Assistant administrator for administrative and Public Affairs and serves as deputy chief of staff and chief of staff acting administrator. Thank you for joining us today please limit your testimony to five minutes and without objection your Ranking Member rooney and members of the subcommittee thank you for the aid in mexico. Since 2008 usaid has partnered with the department of state and other agencies to address the crime and justice and corruption challenges to threaten our mutual security and prosperity. Under the marinette initiative usaid works to strengthen institutions and address impunity protect human rights reduce crime and violence and transparency undoubtedly as clearly. Including, the targeting of their Business Model from production and trafficking of illicit drugs to their illicit finances and revenue. This is critical for the safety of all of our citizens. The necessity of our cooperation has been made clear over the past few months with the horrific murders of Nine American citizens on november 4th, 2019 and the failed operation to arrest guzman in october of 2019. These events are in addition to the many lives and mexican Security Forces and citizens that continue to be lost in the fight against tea seals. The Trump Administration is committed to working with mexico to combat these organizations. In just a last month, general barr, the director of the National Drug control policy, carole, u. S. Customs and border deputy western Hemisphere Affairs mosaic about separately visited mexico to discuss our joint efforts and the ways we can increase our collaboration is to more effectively confront this threat. Transnational criminal organizations traffic mexican heroin, matt and freedom in, fentanyl and columbian cocaine to the United States. To address these and related threats, the United States and mexico partner through the initiative to support mexicos effort to improve security, reduced drug production and trafficking, and hands criminal prosecutors and the rule of law, build confidence in the justice sector, improve border security, reduce irregular migration flow and promote greater respect for human rights. U. S. Mexico Security Cooperation has been expanding and evolving since the issue was launched in 2008 and is based on the recognition and commitment that our country shares responsibility for combatting transnational records and protecting our citizens from crime, corruption and violence they initiate. It is founded on Mutual Respect and reflects our understanding of the tremendous benefits derived from collaboration. U. S. Assistance has provided crucial support to the Mexican Government in its efforts to build a capacity of its rule of Law Institution while enhancing cooperation between the u. S. And Mexican Governments to provision of equipment, Technical Assistance and training. The Initiative Also agencies prosecutors and judges and expand their share capacity to track criminals, drugs, arms and money. President has made the introduction of violence in the key policy in pledges to fight corruption in mexico to advance efforts to combat our shared security challenges, the United States and mexico have developed a new bilateral structure. The mexico citybased highlevel security working group. Under the umbrella of the hls, we have jointly developed bilateral working groups to tackle issues of the highest importance. These working groups focus on drug policy, migration, elicit finance, cybersecurity, armed forces, emergency response, justice sector, and on trafficking. Through these groups, we are down a fine priorities and specific actions we can take together to make progress in each area. For example, we are looking at ways we can increase joint efforts to combat synthetic drug and illicit drug production, increase drug interdictions and stem illicit finances. We are also working to reduce the number of illicit firearms, weapons and the quantity of ammunition crossing the u. S. Mexico border. The continued threat, posed by Transnational Criminal Organizations to both mexico in the United States requires our continual support. Bilateral cooperation must continue and the initiative must provide a comprehensive flexible framework through which our partnership can move forward to the benefit to both americans and mexicans. Let me turn the microphone over to my colleagues and ill be happy to answer any questions you have. Thank you. Mr. Glen, we will now hear from your testimony. Chairman and Ranking Member rouhani, distinguished members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity of appearing before you today to discuss our efforts with mexico. The mission of the department of state bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement affairs is to keep america safe by countering crime, Illegal Drugs and instability abroad. We have provided assistance for the last 12 years under the initiative to build mexican introduction addiction. Our system has two principal purposes. First, to stop illicit drugs before they reach the United States and second, to improve mexican capacity to dismantle each component of transnational organizations from drug production to trafficking to the illicit proceeds and hold them accountable for their crimes articulated the challenges before us are daunting that. Despite the news that u. S. Drug overdoses are on the crime more than 67,000 americans died in 2018 overdosing on drugs. Many of which come from mexico. Mexico is the source of most hair when than the United States and is a major transit zone for cocaine and synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Meanwhile, in mexico, mexicans face their own epidemic, an epidemic of violence with the homicide rate hitting a record high of 21 2019. Impunity is high, public trust in polices is low and organized crime to corruption. Meanwhile, the Mexican Government continues to consolidate its transition to the Justice System. With some progress. But major growing pains. In the face of these challenges the initiative has better position u. S. Mexico Security Cooperation to block the evolving drug press, tackle corruption and security and build trust between u. S. And mexican Law Enforcement. We have adapted our programs to meet the is why usaid is labor law and changing environment, tackle Priority Issues for administrations and prioritized sustainability and measurable impact. We have seen our investments bear fruit. One example, the more than 400 canines donate since 2011 have helped 23 tons of narcotics. That includes fentanyl, it includes more than 56,000 guns and millions of dollars in smuggled cash. We have since expanded the canine program and our next up is working closely with mexico to develop a Strategic Plan for the deployment of canines targeted locations to increase seizures and save more lives. We have learned that no amount of equipment or training can reduce impunity sustainable improvements, this requires political will, resources and urgency to tackle todays immediate problems while laying the foundation for during cultural law from this and accountability. We are under no illusion that we have substantially reduce the number of drugs entering the United States or the level of violence in mexico. We have a long road ahead, yet u. S. Investments yield improvements that can add up overtime. We seek opportunities to make the greatest impact for our investment while mitigating risk and ensuring sustainability. On the campaign trail and throughout his firs