[House Document 111-38]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]





111th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 111-38



 
      CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO SYRIA

                               __________

                                MESSAGE

                                  from

                     THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

    NOTIFICATION THAT THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO SYRIA, 
 ORIGINALLY DECLARED ON MAY 11, 2004, BY EXECUTIVE ORDER 13338, IS TO 
 CONTINUE IN EFFECT BEYOND MAY 11, 2009, PURSUANT TO 50 U.S.C. 1662(d)




May 7, 2009.--Message and accompanying papers referred to the Committee 
              on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed

To the Congress of the United States:

    Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. 
1622(d), provides for the automatic termination of a national 
emergency, unless, prior to the anniversary date of its 
declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register 
and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the 
emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. 
In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal 
Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the 
national emergency with respect to the actions of the 
Government of Syria declared in Executive Order 13338 of May 
11, 2004, and relied upon for additional steps taken in 
Executive Order 13399 of April 25, 2006, and Executive Order 
13460 of February 13, 2008, is to continue in effect beyond May 
11, 2009.
    The actions of the Government of Syria in supporting 
terrorism, pursuing weapons of mass destruction and missile 
programs, and undermining U.S. and international efforts with 
respect to the stabilization and reconstruction of Iraq pose a 
continuing unusual and extraordinary threat to the national 
security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. For 
these reasons, I have determined that it is necessary to 
continue in effect the national emergency declared with respect 
to this threat and to maintain in force the sanctions to 
address this national emergency.

                                                      Barack Obama.
    The White House, May 7, 2009.
 Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Actions of 
                        the Government of Syria

    On May 11, 2004, pursuant to his authority under the 
International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1701-
1706, and the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty 
Restoration Act of 2003, Public Law 108-175, the President 
issued Executive Order 13338, in which he declared a national 
emergency with respect to the actions of the Government of 
Syria. To deal with this national emergency, Executive Order 
13338 authorized the blocking of property of certain persons 
and prohibited the exportation or re-exportation of certain 
goods to Syria. On April 25, 2006, and February 13, 2008, the 
President issued Executive Order 13399 and Executive Order 
13460, respectively, to take additional steps with respect to 
this national emergency.
    The President took these actions to deal with the unusual 
and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign 
policy, and economy of the United States constituted by the 
actions of the Government of Syria in supporting terrorism, 
maintaining its then-existing occupation of Lebanon, pursuing 
weapons of mass destruction and missile programs, and 
undermining U.S. and international efforts with respect to the 
stabilization and reconstruction of Iraq.
    Because the actions and policies of the Government of Syria 
continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the 
national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United 
States, the national emergency declared on May 11, 2004, and 
the measures adopted on that date, on April 25, 2006, in 
Executive Order 13399, and on February 13, 2008, in Executive 
Order 13460, to deal with that emergency must continue in 
effect beyond May 11, 2009. Therefore, in accordance with 
section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. 
1622(d), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency 
declared with respect to certain actions of the Government of 
Syria.
    This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and 
transmitted to the Congress.
                                                      Barack Obama.
    The White House, May 7, 2009.