[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 152 (Wednesday, September 12, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S6139]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGE

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   REPORT RELATIVE TO THE ISSUANCE OF AN EXECUTIVE ORDER DECLARING A 
 NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO THE THREAT OF FOREIGN INTERFERENCE 
                 IN THE UNITED STATES ELECTIONS--PM 47

  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:
  Pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 
U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et 
seq.), section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (8 
U.S.C. 1182(f)), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I 
hereby report that I have issued an Executive Order declaring a 
national emergency to deal with the threat of foreign interference in 
United States elections and authorizing the United States Government to 
impose a range of appropriate and meaningful sanctions against foreign 
individuals and entities determined to have engaged in election 
interference.
  Foreign powers have historically sought to exploit America's free and 
open political system. In recent years, the proliferation of digital 
devices and internet-based communications has created significant 
vulnerabilities and magnified the scope and intensity of the threat of 
foreign interference. To deal with this threat, I have directed the 
Director of National Intelligence to conduct regular assessments of any 
information indicating that foreign election interference has taken 
place. I have also directed the Attorney General and Secretary of 
Homeland Security to conduct evaluations of the effects of any such 
interference that targeted election infrastructure or campaign-related 
infrastructure, and to provide updates and recommendations on 
appropriate measures to take in response.
  In the event foreign election interference is determined to have 
occurred, the Executive Order provides for the imposition of sanctions 
on foreign persons determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in 
consultation with the Secretary of State, to have engaged in, 
sponsored, concealed, or otherwise been complicit in the interference, 
as well as other related persons.
  The Executive Order further directs the Secretary of State and the 
Secretary of the Treasury to develop additional recommended sanctions 
measures, appropriately calibrated to account for the severity of the 
interference and any collateral effects on United States and allied 
financial stability and economic and security interests, targeting 
companies in significant economic sectors in a country whose government 
is determined to have engaged in or sponsored election interference.
  I am enclosing a copy of the Executive Order I have issued.
                                                     Donald J. Trump.  
The White House, September 12, 2018. 

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