REPORT ON UNITED STATES SUPPORT FOR OPERATION BAHAMAS, TURKS & CAICOS.

SEC. 1026. REPORT ON UNITED STATES SUPPORT FOR OPERATION BAHAMAS, TURKS & CAICOS.(a) Findings.—Congress makes the following findings:(1) In 1982 the United States Government created Operation Bahamas, Turks & Caicos (OPBAT) to counter the smuggling of cocaine into the United States.(2) According to the Drug Enforcement Agency, an estimated 80 percent of the cocaine entering the United States in the 1980s came through the Bahamas, whereas, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, only an estimated 10 percent comes through the Bahamas today.(3) According to the Drug Enforcement Agency, more than 80,000 kilograms of cocaine and nearly 700,000 pounds of marijuana have been seized in Operation Bahamas, Turks & Caicos since 1986, with a combined street value of approximately two billion dollars.(4) The Army has provided military airlift to law enforcement officials under Operation Bahamas, Turks & Caicos to create an effective, reliable, and immediate response capability for drug interdiction. This support is largely responsible for the decline in cocaine shipments to the United States through the Bahamas.(5) The Bahamas is an island nation composed of approximately 700 islands and keys, which makes aviation assets the best and most efficient method of transporting law enforcement agents and interdicting smugglers.(6) It is in the interests of the United States to maintain the results of the successful Operation Bahamas, Turks & Caicos program and prevent drug smugglers from rebuilding their operations through the Bahamas.(b) Report on United States Government Support for OPBAT.—(1) Report on decision to withdraw.—Not later than 30 days before implementing a decision to withdraw Department of Defense helicopters from Operation Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Congress a report outlining the plan for the coordination of the Operation Bahamas, Turks & Caicos mission, at the same level of effectiveness, using other United States Government assets.120 STAT. 2385(2) Consultation.—The Secretary of Defense shall consult with the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, and with other appropriate officials of the United States Government, in preparing the report under paragraph (1).(3) Elements.—The report under paragraph (1) on the withdrawal of equipment referred to in that paragraph shall include the following:(A) An explanation of the military justification for the withdrawal of the equipment.(B) An assessment of the availability of other options (including other Government helicopters) to provide the capability being provided by the equipment to be withdrawn.(C) An explanation of how each option specified under subparagraph (B) will provide the capability currently provided by the equipment to be withdrawn.(D) An assessment of the potential use of unmanned aerial vehicles in Operation Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, including the capabilities of such vehicles and any advantages or disadvantages associated with the use of such vehicles in that operation, and a recommendation on whether or not to deploy such vehicles in that operation.