[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

                              ----------                              


      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.

                                  
