[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 74 (Monday, May 19, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H4212-H4213]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONTINUATION OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO BURMA--MESSAGE FROM 
                   THE PRESIDENT (H. DOC. NO. 108-72)

  The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following message 
from the President of the United States; which was read and, together 
with the accompanying papers, without objection, referred to the 
Committee on International Relations and ordered to be printed:

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, 
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. I have sent the enclosed notice, stating that the 
Burma emergency is to continue beyond May 20,

[[Page H4213]]

2003, to the Federal Register for publication. The most recent notice 
continuing this emergency was published in the Federal Register on May 
17, 2002.
  The crisis between the United States and Burma that led to the 
declaration of a national emergency on May 20, 1997, has not been 
resolved. The actions and policies of the Government of Burma, 
including its policies of committing large-scale repression of the 
democratic opposition in Burma, are hostile to U.S. interests and pose 
a continuing unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security 
and foreign policy of the United States. For this reason, I have 
determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency with 
respect to Burma and maintain in force the sanctions against Burma to 
respond to this threat.
                                                      George W. Bush.  
       The White House, May 16, 2003.

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