Senators want “performance indicators” and ways to assess the effectiveness of US aid to Mexico in the fight against criminal organizations.
The bipartisan Mexican Security Assistance Accountability Act, introduced in the Senate on May 15, would require the State Department to devise a strategy to dismantle Mexican drug cartels with measurable goals.
Officers Dave McCormick (R-PA.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) introduced laws targeting the cartel on May 15th. The US government has spent $3 billion to help Mexico support Mexico in security, but nevertheless pointed out that the cartel has “earned a significant position.”
The bill will help Mexico annihilate the cartels, increase the capabilities of Mexican military and public security agencies, reduce the effectiveness of the cartels, and ensure taxpayers get the best profit for their investments by fighting public corruption and immunity.
“The strategy should include priorities, milestones and performance metrics to monitor and evaluate the outcomes of US security assistance,” according to the release.
McCormick kills more than 4,000 people each year in Pennsylvania alone, and McCormick said fentanyl kills more than 4,000 people each year.
“We know that security cooperation is actually achieving results because we need a clear strategy to dismantle a cartel with real accountability and success metrics,” McCormick said.
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“We look forward to working with the administration on this common-sense approach to saving America’s lives.”
Kelly added that US-Mexico relationships and sharing security missions are important in the fight against the cartel.
“Our bipartisan bill will effectively dismantle cartels, increase the capacity of Mexican law enforcement, strengthen US national security, and set mission goals to protect our communities,” he said.
Mexican drug cartels are the leading drivers of the fentanyl overdose crisis that killed hundreds of thousands of Americans.
In the 2024 National Drug Threat Assessment, the US Drug Enforcement Agency said “Together, the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels caused the worst drug crisis in US history,” controlling almost all illegal drug flows to the United States, including fentanyl.
