"House votes to limit U.S. aid to Mexico
By Lisa Friedman
Washington Bureau
Saturday, July 02, 2005 - WASHINGTON -- A vote in the House of Representatives this week to punish Mexico for failing to extradite the suspected killers of Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy David March and other law-enforcement officers divided Southland lawmakers, though not entirely along partisan lines.
Sponsored by two Colorado legislators, the amendment threatens to cut off aid to any country that refuses to extradite suspects in the killings of U.S. law officers. It would affect about $66 million in aid to Mexico, which has blocked the extradition of suspects who face either death penalty or life imprisonment sentences. It passed 327 to 98.
"Countries refusing to extradite cop killers and other serious offenders should not be rewarded by receiving American foreign assistance," Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon, who voted for the measure, said in a statement.
He was joined by Reps. Joe Baca, D-San Bernardino; Ken Calvert, R-Riverside; Elton Gallegly, R-Thousand Oaks; Gary Miller, R-Diamond Bar; Dana Rohrabacher, R-Huntington Beach; Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena; and Brad Sherman, D-Sherman Oaks.
Voting against the measure were Xavier Becerra, D-Los Angeles; Howard Berman, D-Van Nuys; David Dreier, R-Glendora; Jane Harman, D-El Segundo; Jerry Lewis, R-Redlands; Juanita Millender-McDonald, D-Long Beach; Grace Napolitano, D-Santa Fe Springs; Linda Sanchez, D-Lakewood; Hilda Solis, D-El Monte; and Henry Waxman, D-Los Angeles.
Dreier spokeswoman Jo Maney said the congressman voted against the amendment "because its unintended consequence would be eliminating aid to Mexico for enhancing border security, eradicating drugs and reducing their illegal entry into the U.S.""
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