[House Document 114-135]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]






114th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - House Document 114-135
 
      CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO BURMA

                               __________

                                MESSAGE

                                  from

                     THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

   NOTIFICATION THAT THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY, WITH RESPECT TO BURMA, 
  ORIGINALLY DECLARED IN EXECUTIVE ORDER 13047 OF MAY 20, 1997, IS TO 
CONTINUE IN EFFECT BEYOND MAY 20, 2016, PURSUANT TO 50 U.S.C. 1622(d); 
            PUBLIC LAW 94-412, SEC. 202(d); (90 STAT. 1257)

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


    May 17, 2016.--Message and accompanying papers referred to the 
         Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed
                                   ______

                         U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 

59-011                         WASHINGTON : 2016












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, 2016.
    The Government of Burma has made significant progress 
across a number of important areas since 2011, including the 
release of over 1,300 political prisoners, a peaceful and 
competitive election, the signing of a Nationwide Ceasefire 
Agreement with eight ethnic armed groups, the discharge of 
hundreds of child soldiers from the military, steps to improve 
labor standards, and expanding political space for civil 
society to have a greater voice in shaping issues critical to 
Burma's future. In addition, Burma has become a signatory of 
the International Atomic Energy Agency's Additional Protocol 
and ratified the Biological Weapons Convention, significant 
steps towards supporting global non-proliferation. Despite 
these strides, the situation in the country continues to pose 
an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security 
and foreign policy of the United States.
    Concerns persist regarding continued obstacles to full 
civilian control of the government, the ongoing conflict and 
human rights abuses in the country, particularly in ethnic 
minority areas, and military trade with North Korea. In 
addition, Burma's security forces, operating with little 
oversight from the civilian government, often act with 
impunity. We are further concerned that prisoners remain 
detained and that police continue to arrest critics of the 
government for peacefully expressing their views. For this 
reason, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the 
national emergency with respect to Burma.
    Despite this action, the United States remains committed to 
working with both the new government and the people of Burma to 
ensure that the democratic transition is irreversible.

                                                      Barack Obama.
    The White House, May 17, 2016.

                                 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; 13619 of 
July 11, 2012; and 13651 of August 6, 2013, must continue in 
effect beyond May 20, 2016. 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 17, 2016.

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