[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 71 (Thursday, May 17, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H2826-H2827]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1230
 CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO BURMA--MESSAGE 
     FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (H. DOC. NO. 112 110)

  The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following message 
from the President of the United States; which was read and 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, 
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, 2012.
  The Burmese government has made progress in a number of areas 
including releasing hundreds of political prisoners, pursuing cease-
fire talks with several armed ethnic groups, and pursuing a substantive 
dialogue with Burma's leading pro-democracy opposition party. The 
United States is committed to supporting Burma's reform effort, but the 
situation in Burma continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary 
threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United 
States. Burma has made important strides, but the political opening is 
nascent, and we continue to have concerns, including remaining 
political prisoners, ongoing conflict, and serious human rights abuses 
in ethnic areas. For this reason, I have determined that it is 
necessary

[[Page H2827]]

to continue the national emergency with respect to Burma and to 
maintain in force the sanctions that respond to this threat.
                                                        Barack Obama.  
The White House, May 17, 2012.

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