    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book II)]
    [November 6, 2002]
    [Page 2039]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Letter to Congressional Leaders Transmitting a Report on Military and
    Civilian Personnel in Colombia Supporting Plan Colombia
    November 6, 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 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 September 13, 2002, the end of this
    reporting period, there were 138 temporary and permanent U.S. military
    personnel and 250 U.S. civilians retained as individual contractors in
    Colombia involved in supporting Plan Colombia. This report further
    indicates that during July, August, and September 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
    November 7.