    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book I)]
    [February 20, 2003]
    [Pages 196-197]
    [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
    February 20, 2003

    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 that 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 197]]

        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 January 13, 2003, the end of this
    reporting period, there were 208 temporary and permanent U.S. military
    personnel and 279 U.S. civilians retained as individual contractors in
    Colombia involved in supporting Plan Colombia. This report further
    indicates that during November and December 2002, and January 2003,
    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.