    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book I)]
    [April 1, 2003]
    [Page 316]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Letter to Congressional Leaders Transmitting a Report on Implementation
    of the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption
    April 1, 2003

    Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Dear Mr. Chairman:)
        Pursuant to the resolution of advice and consent to ratification of
    the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption adopted by the Senate
    on July 27, 2000, I submit the enclosed report, prepared by my
    Administration, on implementation of the Convention.
        This third report to the Congress indicates that 28 of the 34
    members of the Organization of American States have formally ratified
    the Convention (Brazil and Suriname ratified the Convention in 2002) and
    that 27 have adopted the evaluation mechanism established by the
    Organization of American States to oversee implementation.
        The United States Government continues to reinforce the
    implementation and enforcement of the Convention in the hemisphere
    through numerous initiatives and programs that are described in the
    report. Moreover, since the last report, my Administration has moved
    forward with our proposed Millennium Challenge Account, which is
    intended to link U.S. foreign development assistance to, among other
    factors, the recipient's commitments to good governance and
    anticorruption efforts. The Convention recognizes that the problem of
    corruption is a major obstacle to development in the Americas. As such,
    it has energized the work of the United States and its hemispheric
    partners to find common solutions to common anticorruption challenges.
        I look forward to working with you to ensure that we continue to
    combat corruption in our hemisphere and across the globe.
            Sincerely,

                                                              George W. Bush

    Note: Identical letters were sent to J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the
    House of Representatives, and Richard G. Lugar, chairman, Senate
    Committee on Foreign Relations. This letter was released by the Office
    of the Press Secretary on April 2.