[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 8 (Monday, February 23, 2004)]
[Page 247]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Letter to Congressional Leaders Reporting a Certification Required by 
the Ratification Resolution of the Chemical Weapons Convention

February 17, 2004

Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Dear Mr. Chairman:)

    Consistent with the resolution of advice and consent to ratification 
of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, 
Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction, 
adopted by the United States Senate on April 24, 1997, and based on the 
recommendation of the Department of Commerce, I certify that for 
calendar year 2003:
            In connection with Condition 9, Protection of Advanced 
            Biotechnology, the legitimate commercial activities and 
            interests of chemical, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical 
            firms in the United States were not harmed significantly by 
            the limitations of the Convention on access to, and 
            production of, those chemicals and toxins listed in Schedule 
            1 of the Annex on Chemicals.
     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.