    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book II)]
    [June 24, 2002]
    [Pages 1169-1170]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Letter to Congressional Leaders Transmitting a Report on United States
    Individuals Involved in the Antinarcotics Campaign in Colombia
    June 24, 2002

    Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Dear Mr. President:)
        Pursuant to section 3204(f), title III, chapter 2 of the Emergency
    Supplemental Act, 2000 (the ``Act''), as enacted in the Military
    Construction Appropriations Act, 2001, Public Law 106-246, I am
    providing a report prepared by my Administration. The report provides
    ``the aggregate number, locations, activities, and lengths of assignment
    for all temporary and permanent U.S. military personnel and U.S.
    individual

    [[Page 1170]]

    civilians retained as contractors involved in the antinarcotics campaign
    in Colombia.''
        In so doing, I note and appreciate the continued strong bipartisan
    support given to U.S. programs assisting Colombia in the Act and
    elsewhere.
        This report is classified because of force protection considerations
    and the high level of terrorist threat in Colombia. However, the
    aggregate numbers given below are unclassified.
        The report indicates that as of May 15, 2002, the end of this
    reporting period, there were 168 temporary and permanent U.S. military
    personnel and 233 U.S. civilians retained as individual contractors in
    Colombia involved in supporting Plan Colombia, as described in this 11th
    report to the Congress in accordance with the Act. This report further
    indicates that during March, April, and May 2002, these figures never
    exceeded the ceilings established in section 3204(b) of the Act, as
    amended.
             Sincerely,

                                                              George W. Bush

    Note: Identical letters were sent to J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the
    House of Representatives, and Richard B. Cheney, President of the
    Senate. This letter was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    July 3.