[House Document 119-6]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
119th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 119-6
ADDITIONAL STEPS WITH RESPECT TO THE
SITUATION IN THE WESTERN BALKANS
__________
MESSAGE
from
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
transmitting
AN EXECUTIVE ORDER DECLARING ADDITIONAL STEPS WITH RE-
SPECT TO THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY DECLARED WITH RE-
SPECT TO THE SITUATION IN THE WESTERN BALKANS IN EXEC-
UTIVE ORDER 13219 OF JUNE 26, 2001, AS AMENDED BY EXECU-
TIVE ORDER 13304 OF MAY 28, 2003, AND EXPANDED IN SCOPE
BY EXECUTIVE ORDER 14033 OF JUNE 8, 2021, PURSUANT TO
50 U.S.C. 1703(b); PUBLIC LAW 95-223, SEC. 204(b); (91 STAT. 1627)
AND 50 U.S.C. 1641(b); PUBLIC LAW 94-412, SEC. 401(b); (90 STAT.
1257)
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
January 9, 2025.--Message and accompanying papers referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed
------
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
59-011 WASHINGTON : 2025
To the Congress of the United States:
Pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act
(50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the National Emergencies Act (50
U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), and section 301 of title 3, United States
Code, I hereby report that I have issued an Executive Order in
order to take additional steps with respect to the national
emergency declared in Executive Order 13219 of June 26, 2001
(Blocking Property of Persons Who Threaten International
Stabilization Efforts in the Western Balkans), as amended by
Executive Order 13304 of May 28, 2003 (Termination of
Emergencies With Respect to Yugoslavia and Modification of
Executive Order 13219 of June 26, 2001), and expanded in scope
by Executive Order 14033 of June 8, 2021 (Blocking Property and
Suspending Entry Into the United States of Certain Persons
contributing to the Destabilizing Situation in the Western
Balkans).
The order is intended to provide additional prongs for
targeting persons for designation under Executive Order 14033
and deter individuals from attempting to evade United States
sanctions. This includes amendments to: add attempt as a basis
for designation throughout the order; add a prong for
leadership of membership in a sanctioned entity; add a prong
for ownership or control of a sanctioned person; and add a
prong for being a spouse or adult child of a sanctioned person.
I am enclosing a copy of the Executive Order I have issued.
Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
The White House, January 8, 2025.
Executive Order
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Taking Additional Steps With Respect to the Situation in
the Western Balkans
By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of America,
including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50
U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50
U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) (NEA), section 212(f) of the Immigration
and Nationality Act of 1952 (8 U.S.C. 1182 (f)), and section
301 of title 3, United States Code,
I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of
America, in view of events in the Western Balkans, including
continued attempts by individuals to challenge the sovereignty
and territorial integrity of Western Balkans nations, to
undermine post-war agreements and institutions, to engage in
significant corruption that erodes the rule of law and trust in
democratic governance, and to evade United States Government
sanctions, and in order to take additional steps with respect
to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13219 of
June 26, 2001 (Blocking Property of Persons Who Threaten
International Stabilization Efforts in the Western Balkans), as
amended by Executive Order 13304 of May 28, 2003 (Termination
of Emergencies With Respect to Yugoslavia and Modification of
Executive Order 13219 of June 26, 2001), and expanded in scope
by Executive Order 14033 of June 8, 2021 (Blocking Property and
Suspending Entry into the United States of Certain Persons
Contributing to the Destabilizing Situation in the Western
Balkans), hereby order:
Section 1. Amendments to Executive Order 14033. Executive
Order 14033 is hereby amended by striking section 1 and
inserting, in lieu thereof, the following:
Section 1. (a) All property and interests in property that
are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United
States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or
control of any United States person of the following persons
are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported,
withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in: any person determined by the
Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary
of State:
(i) to be responsible for or complicit in, or to have
directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage
in, actions or policies that threaten the peace,
security, stability, or territorial integrity of any
area or state in the Western Balkans;
(ii) to be responsible for or complicit in, including
by involvement in developing, or to have directly or
indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, actions
or policies that undermine democratic processes or
institutions in the Western Balkans;
(iii) to be responsible for or complicit in, or to
have directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to
engage in, a violation of, or an act that has
obstructed or threatened the implementation of, any
regional security, peace, cooperation, or mutual
recognition agreement or framework or accountability
mechanism, or to pose a significant risk of committing
such an act, related to the Western Balkans, including
the Prespa Agreement of 2018; the Ohrid Framework
Agreement of 2001, United Nations Security Council
Resolution 1244; the Dayton Accords; or the Conclusions
of the Peace Implementation Conference Council held in
London in December 1995, including the decisions or
conclusions of the High Representative, the Peace
Implementation Council, or its Steering Board; or the
International Criminal Tribunal for the former
Yugoslavia, or, with respect to the former Yugoslavia,
the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal
Tribunals;
(iv) to be responsible for or complicit in, or to
have directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to
engage in, serious human rights abuse in the Western
Balkans;
(v) to be responsible for or complicit in, or to have
directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage
in, corruption related to the Western Balkans,
including corruption by, on behalf of, or otherwise
related to a government in the Western Balkans, or a
current or former government official at any level of
government in the Western Balkans, such as the
misappropriation of public assets, expropriation of
private assets for personal gain or political purposes,
or bribery;
(vi) to be a leader, official, or member of an
entity, including a government entity, that has engaged
in, or attempted to engage in, any of the activities
described in subsections (1)(a)(i)-(v) of this order,
or whose property and interests in property are blocked
pursuant to this order;
(vii) to have materially assisted, sponsored, or
provided financial, material, or technological support
for, or goods or services to or in support of, any
person whose property and interests in property are
blocked pursuant to this order;
(viii) to be owned or controlled by, or to have acted
or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or
indirectly, any person whose property and interests in
property are blocked pursuant to this order;
(ix) to own or control, directly or indirectly, any
person whose property and interests in property are
blocked pursuant to this order; or
(x) to be a spouse or adult child of any person whose
property and interests in property are blocked pursuant
to subsections (1)(a)(i)-(v) of this order.
(b) The prohibitions in subsection (a) of this section
apply except to the extent provided by statutes, or in
regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may be issued
pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract
entered into or any license or permit granted before the date
of this order.''
Sec. 2. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall
be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive
department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of
Management and Budget relating to budgetary,
administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with
applicable law and subject to the availability of
appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any
right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law
or in equity by any party against the United States, its
departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or
agents, or any other persons.
Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
The White House, January 8, 2025.
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