[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 8 (Monday, February 24, 2003)]
[Page 228]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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.''
    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.