[House Document 114-39]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




114th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - House Document 114-39
___________________________________________________________________
 
      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 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
         
                                  ______

                         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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