Committee InfoDescriptionHello representatives and welcome to the Penn Model Congress Committee on Narcotics and Drug Trafficking. This committee is modeled off of the United States Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control, which has all the powers of a regular standing committee. It was created with the goal of monitoring and encouraging both public and private programs to expand international cooperation, in order to combat narcotics trafficking and drug abuse. Originally, it included both senators and members of the private sector that were selected by the President, but today it is solely comprised of six senators. The chairwoman is Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and the co-chairman is Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA). Past caucus issues have included those of border control, money laundering, eradication of narcotics, drug education, rehabilitation, and assessments of existing Federal programs. The Caucus also regularly issues reports on U.S. narcotics control policy.Recently, the caucus held a hearing about the U.S. counter-narcotics strategy in Afghanistan, which produces and supplies about 90 percent of the world’s illegal opium resources. The resulting heroin accounts for only 5 percent of the U.S. heroin market, but is very prevalent in other parts of the world and therefore still poses a pressing threat. In response, the Department of Defense made policy revisions that allow for the direct pursuit of counter-narcotics missions by the U.S. armed forces. This has resulted in the confiscation of 18,164 kilograms of opium, 200 kilograms of heroin, 1,000 kilograms of hashish, 72,727 kilograms of poppy seed, chemicals used to make drugs, and a significant cache of weapons including 44 blocks of Iranian C4, Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), mortar rounds, and other weapons used to attack Coalition Forces. The U.S. is also funding an “Alternative Livelihood” program, which provides opium poppy growers with seeds for watermelon, wheat, and other substitute crops. The INCC is primarily responsible for monitoring and enforcing international narcotics control treaties and agreements, in addition to overseeing and advising U.S. narcotics policy. As such, the caucus has been involved with things like the anabolic steroids scandal in professional sports. The Clean Sports Act of 2005, which specified minimum testing standards for all professional sports leagues, highlighted the fact that athletes are role models for American youth, and use of anabolic and/or recreational steroids sets a very bad example. It has been estimated that over 500,000 teenagers have tried performance-enhancing substances, so this issue is very pressing. Another example of past legislation was an anti-Ecstasy bill passed in 2001 that raised awareness of this dangerous drug by calling for heightened media campaigns, as well as increasing the penalties for Ecstasy trafficking and possession. Drug control is a critical issue for the United States, making this Caucus very important. There is a constant battle between legislators and public servants who aim to curb the problem and traffickers who look for new technologies and methods to import and dispense illegal narcotics. A solution to this problem must come from within our borders through education, effective legislation, and reduced demand for illegal drugs. For more information on the Caucus on International Narcotics Control, visit the website at: http://drugcaucus.senate.gov/index.html. ------ Hi, my name is Drew Kramer and I am incredibly excited to be a part of this year’s Penn MC. I am a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in History with a minor in Spanish. I went to Hackley School in Tarrytown, NY where I first discovered Model Congress and am excited now to be involved in my second Penn Model Congress. If you have any questions or concerns about the committee please don’t hesitate to e-mail me at dkr@sas.upenn.edu. I look forward to seeing you all in February at Penn Model Congress 2010. Hi, my name is Elizabeth Schlessinger and I am a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. I am thinking of majoring in Biological Basis of Behavior with a pre-med concentration. I spent my first two years of high school at Henrico High in Richmond, VA, and later moved to Stamford, CT. Here at Penn, I am involved with The Daily Pennsylvanian, Kite and Key club, being a tour guide, and the Penn Israel Coalition. Please feel free to contact me with any questions about the conference! My e-mail address is elisch@sas.upenn.edu. I’m looking forward to meeting all of you in February! Chairs
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Account LoginConference DatesMarch 31 - April 3, 2011 RegistrationRegistration is now closed. InformationClick here for more details about PENNMC 2011! Check us out on Facebook!
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