February 13, 2025 - San Juan, Puerto Rico – Governor Jenniffer González-Colón thanked Senators Rick Scott and Alex Padilla for reintroducing the Caribbean Border Counternarcotics Strategy Act, a bill the Governor led in the previous Congress to codify the requirement for the Office of National DrugControl Policy (ONDCP) to develop a strategy to combat drug trafficking from the Caribbean into the United States, with a particular focus on Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.“I thank Senators Rick Scott and Alex Padilla for reintroducing our bill to strengthen security in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the rest of the nation. Drug trafficking in the Caribbean continues to pose a serious threat to our communities, contributing to violent crimes and the loss of lives. This legislation will ensure our region receives the same strategic attention as the Northern and Southwestern borders and help provide the federal government the necessary tools and resources to strengthen efforts to combat drug trafficking and transnational criminal organizations in our area,” stated Governor González-Colón.

‍Key Provisions of the Caribbean Border Counternarcotics Strategy Act:‍

• Statutorily authorizes the requirement for ONDCP to issue a Caribbean Border Counternarcotics Strategy alongside the National Drug Control Strategy, just as Congress has codified the requirement to develop the accompanying Southwest and Northern Border Counternarcotics Strategies.

• Requires the Caribbean Border Counternarcotics Strategy to include measures to combat drug trafficking and drug-related violent crimes in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

• Adds definitions for “State” and “United States” in ONDCP’s authorization to clarify the inclusion of the U.S. territories.

• Amends the definition of “supply reduction” in ONDCP’s authorization to ensure the National Drug Control Strategy and its supplemental border strategies include efforts to track, dismantle, and disrupt the financial networks of drug trafficking organizations.

The Caribbean Border Counternarcotics Strategy Act was authored by Governor González-Colón, who originally introduced the bill when she served as Resident Commissioner in the 118th Congress (H.R. 920).  At the time, Representative Stacey Plaskett of the Virgin Islands joined as co-lead in the U.S. House of Representatives, while Senators Rick Scott of Florida and Alex Padilla of California introduced the Senate version (S. 309).

In July 2023, then-Congresswoman González-Colón participated in a House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing, where she advocated for the bill as part of the ongoing discussions to reauthorize ONDCP.  She also secured the endorsement of the Problem Solvers Caucus for the legislation.

In 2024, Governor Gonzalez-Colon worked with House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer of Kentucky to incorporate the Caribbean Border Counternarcotics Strategy Act as part of the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 2024 (H.R. 9598).  That bill overwhelmingly passed the U.S. House of Representatives in December 2024.

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