[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 82 (Monday, May 19, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H4066]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page H4066]]
CONTINUATION OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO BURMA--MESSAGE FROM 
        THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (H. DOC. NO. 110-113)

  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 Foreign Affairs 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 to the Federal 
Register for publication, stating that the Burma emergency is to 
continue beyond May 20, 2008.
  The crisis between the United States and Burma arising from the 
actions and policies of the Government of Burma, including its engaging 
in large-scale repression of the democratic opposition in Burma, that 
led to the declaration of a national emergency on May 20, 1997, and its 
expansion on October 18, 2007, and April 30, 2008, has not been 
resolved. These actions and policies 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. This action does not inhibit any efforts on 
the part of the United States to provide humanitarian assistance to the 
people of Burma in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis.
                                                      George W. Bush.  
The White House, May 16, 2008.

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