[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.