[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book II)]
[September 5, 2002]
[Pages 1561-1562]
[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
September 5, 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.''

[[Page 1562]]

    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 July 12, 2002, the end of this 
reporting period, there were 170 temporary and permanent U.S. military 
personnel and 228 U.S. civilians retained as individual contractors in 
Colombia involved in supporting Plan Colombia. This report further 
indicates that during May, June, and July 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 
September 9.