Pubdate: Sun, 10 Sep 2000
Source: Arizona Daily Star (AZ)
Copyright: 2000 Pulitzer Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.azstarnet.com/
Author: Associated Press
Bookmark: additional articles on Colombia are available at 
http://www.mapinc.org/latin.htm

U.S. MAY UP ANTI-DRUG AID FOR COLOMBIA

WASHINGTON - House leaders are considering whether to follow up a $1.3 
billion aid package designed to help Colombia's military combat the 
narcotics trade with $99.5 million more to bolster Colombian police 
anti-drug efforts.

In negotiations over the original package, which emphasized military aid, 
congressional Republicans already switched 14 helicopters and other 
materiel to the police.

John Feehery, spokesman for House Speaker Dennis Hastert, said yesterday 
that Hastert saw a possible need for additional help when he accompanied 
President Clinton to Colombia on Aug. 31 for the symbolic delivery of the 
first package.

Hastert, R-Ill., "went down there and felt that Colombia's national police 
are an important part of the war on drugs," Feehery said in an interview.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Thunder