[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 78 (Tuesday, May 17, 2016)]
[House]
[Page H2446]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO BURMA--MESSAGE 
     FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (H. DOC. NO. 114-135)

  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, 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, 2016.
  The Government of Burma has made significant progress across a number 
of important areas since 2011, including the release of over 1,300 
political prisoners, a peaceful and competitive election, the signing 
of a Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement with eight ethnic armed groups, the 
discharge of hundreds of child soldiers from the military, steps to 
improve labor standards, and expanding political space for civil 
society to have a greater voice in shaping issues critical to Burma's 
future. In addition, Burma has become a signatory of the International 
Atomic Energy Agency's Additional Protocol and ratified the Biological 
Weapons Convention, significant steps towards supporting global non-
proliferation. Despite these strides, the situation in the country 
continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national 
security and foreign policy of the United States.
  Concerns persist regarding continued obstacles to full civilian 
control of the government, the ongoing conflict and human rights abuses 
in the country, particularly in ethnic minority areas, and military 
trade with North Korea. In addition, Burma's security forces, operating 
with little oversight from the civilian government, often act with 
impunity. We are further concerned that prisoners remain detained and 
that police continue to arrest critics of the government for peacefully 
expressing their views. For this reason, I have determined that it is 
necessary to continue the national emergency with respect to Burma.
  Despite this action, the United States remains committed to working 
with both the new government and the people of Burma to ensure that the 
democratic transition is irreversible.
                                                        Barack Obama.  
The White House, May 17, 2016.

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