Washington - The House of Representatives on Tuesday is expected to vote on an initiative to expand bilateral and regional cooperation to combat drug trafficking organizations, gangs, and other criminal groups, U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) said today.

Ros-Lehtinen said the anti-crime and counter-drug bill, known as the Merida Initiative, will improve law enforcement cooperation among nations of Central America, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, as well as Mexico and United States.

Ros-Lehtinen, Ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, called the initiative "a historic opportunity to present a united front against the drug cartels and gangs who callously threaten the safety and future of our communities everyday. Under the Merida Initiative, we have a chance for our governments to join forces and match this transnational threat," she said.

"For years, drug traffickers have used a regional strategy to carry out their illicit activities," said Ros-Lehtinen, explaining the need for Merida. "The growing operational and financial capabilities of these groups pose a clear and present threat to the lives and well-being of our citizens."

In recent months, U.S. law enforcement officials have responded to an increase in violence on the U.S.-Mexico border. Meanwhile, Mexico has deployed nearly 30,000 soldiers and federal police to the country's most dangerous drug-trafficking hotspots. Similarly, Guatemala announced plans to send hundreds of troops to its northern border to stem the growing drug-related violence there.

"The Merida Initiative enables us to combine our efforts, capitalize on our strengths, and confront narco-traffickers and organized crime with the same determination they so vigorously employ to wreak havoc on our communities," said Ros-Lehtinen.

In addition to improvements in law enforcement capabilities and cooperation, the initiative will fund improvements to the judicial systems in partner countries in order to strengthen the rule of law and democratic governance, said Ros-Lehtinen.

"We are making way for democracy and development to take hold by addressing the precursor conditions that help breed instability in the region," said Ros-Lehtinen.