[House Document 112-110]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




112th Congress, 2d Session  - - - - - - - - - - House Document 112-110

 
NOTIFICATION THAT THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY DECLARED WITH RESPECT TO BURMA 

                   IS TO CONTINUE BEYOND MAY 20, 2012

                               __________

                                MESSAGE

                                  from

                     THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

NOTIFICATION THAT THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY DECLARED WITH RESPECT TO BURMA 

                   IS TO CONTINUE BEYOND MAY 20, 2012




    May 17, 2012.--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, within 90 days 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 Burma that was 
declared on May 20, 1997, is to continue in effect beyond May 
20, 2012.
    The Burmese government has made progress in a number of 
areas including releasing hundreds of political prisoners, 
pursuing cease-fire talks with several armed ethnic groups, and 
pursuing a substantive dialogue with Burma's leading pro-
democracy opposition party. The United States is committed to 
supporting Burma's reform effort, but the situation in Burma 
continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the 
national security and foreign policy of the United States. 
Burma has made important strides, but the political opening is 
nascent, and we continue to have concerns, including remaining 
political prisoners, ongoing conflict, and serious human rights 
abuses in ethnic areas. For this reason, I have determined that 
it is necessary to continue the national emergency with respect 
to Burma and to maintain in force the sanctions that respond to 
this threat.

                                                      Barack Obama.
    The White House, May 17, 2012.
                                 Notice

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      Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Burma

    On May 20, 1997, the President issued Executive Order 
13047, certifying to the Congress under section 570(b) of the 
Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs 
Appropriations Act, 1997 (Public Law 104-208), that the 
Government of Burma had committed large-scale repression of the 
democratic opposition in Burma after September 30, 1996, 
thereby invoking the prohibition on new investment in Burma by 
United States persons contained in that section. The President 
also declared a national emergency to deal with the threat 
posed to the national security and foreign policy of the United 
States by the actions and policies of the Government of Burma, 
invoking the authority, inter alia, of the International 
Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1701-1706.
    Because the actions and policies of the Government of Burma 
continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the 
national security and foreign policy of the United States, the 
national emergency declared on May 20, 1997, and the measures 
adopted to deal with that emergency in Executive Orders 13047 
of May 20, 1997; 13310 of July 28, 2003; 13448 of October 18, 
2007; and 13464 of April 30, 2008, must continue in effect 
beyond May 20, 2012.
    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 with respect to Burma. This 
notice shall be published in the Federal Register and 
transmitted to the Congress.

                                                      Barack Obama 
    The White House, May 17, 2012.

                                  
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