[House Document 113-21]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
113th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 113-21
CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO BURMA
__________
COMMUNICATION
from
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
transmitting
NOTIFICATION THAT THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY DECLARED WITH RESPECT TO BURMA
IS TO CONTINUE BEYOND MAY 20, 2013, PURSUANT TO 50 U.S.C. 1622(d)
May 3, 2013.--Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered
to be printed
The White House,
Washington, May 2, 2013.
Hon. John Boehner,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: 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, 2013.
The Government of Burma has made significant progress in a
number of critical areas, including releasing hundreds of
political prisoners, achieving cease-fire talks with the 11
armed ethnic groups, taking significant steps toward
eliminating press censorship, and enabling the participation of
opposition parties in the country's political system.
Despite great strides that Burma has made in its reform
effort, the situation in the country continues to pose an
unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and
foreign policy of the United States. The political opening is
nascent, and concerns persist regarding remaining political
prisoners, ongoing conflict and human rights abuses in ethnic
minority areas, and the country's continued military
relationship with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
The United States is committed to supporting and strengthening
Burma's reform efforts to ensure that the democratic transition
becomes irreversible. For this reason, I have determined that
it is necessary to continue the national emergency with respect
to Burma.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama.
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 pursuant to the
International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1701-
1706, to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the
national security and foreign policy of the United States
constituted by the actions and policies of the Government of
Burma.
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. For
this reason, 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; 13464 of April 30, 2008; and 13619
of July 11, 2012, must continue in effect beyond May 20, 2013.
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 declared in
Executive Order 13047. This notice shall be published in the
Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.
Barack Obama.
The White House, May 2, 2013.