For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
May 3, 2001

Text of a Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
May 2, 2001

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, the President must submit to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations an annual implementation report each year for a 5-year period. Attached is the first such report.

As this report illustrates, countries throughout our hemisphere have taken important steps through legislative and executive actions to implement the Convention. These actions are indica-tions of the realization that corruption threatens political and economic stability and undermines democracy. This report also outlines the steps taken to establish an evaluation mechanism -- known as the Committee of Experts -- to oversee implementation of the Convention.

I look forward to working with the Congress to ensure that we continue to combat corruption in our hemisphere and across the globe.

Sincerely,

GEORGE W. BUSH

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