[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 117 (Thursday, July 30, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S8551]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  REPORT RELATIVE TO THE CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH 
RESPECT TO THE ACTIONS OF CERTAIN PERSONS TO UNDERMINE THE SOVEREIGNTY 
     OF LEBANON OR ITS DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES AND INSTITUTIONS--PM 28

  The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message 
from the President of the United States, together with an accompanying 
report; which was referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 
Urban Affairs:

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. In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the 
Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the 
national emergency declared with respect to the actions of certain 
persons to undermine the sovereignty of Lebanon or its democratic 
processes and institutions is to continue in effect beyond August 1, 
2009.
  In the past 6 months, the United States has used dialogue with the 
Syrian government to address concerns and identify areas of mutual 
interest, including support for Lebanese sovereignty. Despite some 
positive developments in the past year, including the establishment of 
diplomatic relations and an exchange of ambassadors between Lebanon and 
Syria, the actions of certain persons continue to contribute to 
political and economic instability in Lebanon and the region and 
constitute a continuing unusual and extraordinary threat to the 
national security and foreign policy of the United States. For these 
reasons, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the 
national emergency declared on August 1, 2007, to deal with that threat 
and the related measures adopted on that date to respond to the 
emergency.
                                                        Barack Obama.  
The White House, July 30, 2009.

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