[House Document 114-39]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
114th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - House Document 114-39
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CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO BURMA
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MESSAGE
from
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
transmitting
NOTIFICATION THAT THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY, WITH RESPECT TO BURMA,
ORIGINALLY DECLARED ON MAY 20, 1997, IS TO CONTINUE IN EFFECT BEYOND
MAY 20, 2015, PURSUANT TO 50 U.S.C. 1622(d)
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
May 18, 2015.--Message and accompanying papers referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed
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U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
49-011 WASHINGTON : 2015
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, 2015. The Government of Burma has made significant progress
across a number of important areas, including the release of
over 1,300 political prisoners, continued progress toward a
nationwide cease-fire, 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 nonproliferation. 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 the ongoing conflict and human
rights abuses in the country, particularly in ethnic minority
areas and Rakhine State. In addition, Burma's military operates
with little oversight from the civilian government and often
acts with impunity. For these reasons, 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
supporting and strengthening Burma's reform efforts and to
continue working both with the Burmese government and people to
ensure that the democratic transition is sustained and
irreversible.
Barack Obama.
The White House, May 15, 2015.
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; 13619 of
July 11, 2012; and 13651 of August 6, 2013, must continue in
effect beyond May 20, 2015. 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 15, 2015.
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