The United States Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control (also known as the Senate Narcotics Caucus) is a U.S.

congressional caucus A congressional caucus is a group of members of the United States Congress that meet to pursue common legislative objectives. Formally, caucuses are formed as congressional member organizations (CMOs) through the United States House of Represent ...

created to monitor and encourage the U.S. government and private programs seeking to expand international cooperation against drug abuse and

narcotics trafficking The illegal drug trade or drug trafficking is a global black market dedicated to the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of prohibited drugs. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs through ...

, and promote international compliance with

narcotics The term narcotic (, from ancient Greek ναρκῶ ''narkō'', "to make numb") originally referred medically to any psychoactive compound with numbing or paralyzing properties. In the United States, it has since become associated with opiates ...

control

treaties A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between actors in international law. It is usually made by and between sovereign states, but can include international organizations, individuals, business entities, and other legal pers ...

, including eradication. As a formal organization of the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

, the Caucus has the status of a

standing committee A committee or commission is a body of one or more persons subordinate to a deliberative assembly. A committee is not itself considered to be a form of assembly. Usually, the assembly sends matters into a committee as a way to explore them more ...

. It has

subpoena A subpoena (; also subpœna, supenna or subpena) or witness summons is a writ issued by a government agency, most often a court, to compel testimony by a witness or production of evidence under a penalty for failure. There are two common types of ...

power and is authorized to take

testimony In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. Etymology The words "testimony" and "testify" both derive from the Latin word ''testis'', referring to the notion of a disinterested third-party witness. ...

of witnesses and to produce books, records, papers, and documents that it deems necessary. In the past it has dealt with international cooperation, eradication, trafficking,

interdiction Interdiction is a military term for the act of delaying, disrupting, or destroying enemy forces or supplies en route to the battle area. A distinction is often made between strategic and tactical interdiction. The former refers to operations whose ...

border control Border control refers to measures taken by governments to monitor and regulate the movement of people, animals, and goods across land, air, and maritime borders. While border control is typically associated with international borders, it a ...

, drug strategies, assessments of

Federal Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to: Politics General *Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies *Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...

programs, and

money laundering Money laundering is the process of concealing the origin of money, obtained from illicit activities such as drug trafficking, corruption, embezzlement or gambling, by converting it into a legitimate source. It is a crime in many jurisdictions ...

issues. The Caucus has held numerous hearings over the years and has issued a number of reports on U.S. narcotics control policy. The primary responsibilities of the INCC have involved monitoring of compliance with international narcotics control treaties and agreements, and oversight of U.S. counter narcotics policy and activities.

Establishment

The United States Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control was originally called the United States Commission on International Narcotics Control, when it was established on August 16, 1985, by the

Foreign Relations Authorization Act Foreign may refer to: Government * Foreign policy, how a country interacts with other countries * Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in many countries ** Foreign Office, a department of the UK government ** Foreign office and foreign minister * Unit ...

for fiscal 1986 and 1987. Pursuant to the

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act A legislature is an assembly with the authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country or city. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial powers of government. Laws enacted by legislatures are usually known a ...

of 1986 (), the name of the Commission was changed to the United States Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control, effective November 13, 1985. (The

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...

had requested the name change because it would more accurately reflect the membership of the group, given that no House Members were to be appointed to it.)

Membership

The group's authorizing legislation () provided that the Commission draw its membership from the Senate and from experts in the private sector. Specifically, the group was to be composed of 12 members, seven Members of the U.S. Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, and five members from the private sector appointed by the

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...

. Four of the seven Senators, including one designated as

Chairman The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the grou ...

, were to be selected from the majority party after consultation with the

Majority Leader In U.S. politics (as well as in some other countries utilizing the presidential system), the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.

, and three, including the Member designated as Co-Chairman, were to be selected from the minority party, after consultation with the Minority Leader. The five Commission members selected from the private sector were to be appointed by the President after consultation with the Members of the appropriate

congressional committee A congressional committee is a legislative sub-organization in the United States Congress that handles a specific duty (rather than the general duties of Congress). Committee membership enables members to develop specialized knowledge of the ...

s. The appointment of private citizens was discontinued after 1987 in accordance with the group's redesignation as the U.S. Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control.

Members

117th Congress

116th Congress

''Source:''

References

External links

Official Website of the United States Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control
{{United States congressional committees Narcotics Control Narcotics Control Drug policy organizations based in the United States 1985 establishments in the United States