[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
[December 29, 1999]
[Pages 4-5]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Letter to Congressional Leaders on Continuation of the National 
Emergency With Respect to Libya
December 29, 1999

Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Dear Mr. President:)
    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 the 
enclosed notice, stating that the Libyan emergency declared in 1986 is 
to continue in effect beyond January 7, 2000, to the Federal Register 
for publication. Similar notices have been sent annually to the Congress 
and published in the Federal Register. The most recent notice was signed 
on December 30, 1998, and appeared in the Federal Register on January 4, 
1999.
    The crisis between the United States and Libya that led to the 
declaration of a national

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emergency on January 7, 1986, has not been resolved. Despite the United 
Nations Security Council's suspension of U.N. sanctions against Libya 
upon the Libyan government's hand over of the Pan Am 103 bombing 
suspects, there are still concerns about the Libyan government's support 
for terrorist activities and its noncompliance with United Nations 
Security Council Resolutions 731 (1992), 748 (1992), and 883 (1993). For 
these reasons, I have determined that it is necessary to maintain in 
force the broad authorities necessary to apply economic pressure to the 
Government of Libya to reduce its ability to support international 
terrorism.
        Sincerely,

                                                      William J. Clinton

Note: Identical letters were sent to J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the 
House of Representatives, and Albert Gore, Jr., President of the Senate. 
This letter was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on January 
3, 2000. The notice of December 29, 1999, is listed in Appendix D at the 
end of this volume.