    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book I)]
    [January 18, 2005]
    [Pages 63-64]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Letter to Congressional Leaders on Continuation of the National
    Emergency With Respect to Terrorists Who Threaten To Disrupt the Middle
    East Peace Process
    January 18, 2005

    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 to the
    Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice, stating that the
    emergency declared with respect to foreign terrorists who threaten to
    disrupt the Middle East peace process is to continue in effect beyond
    January 23, 2005. The most recent notice continuing this emergency was
    published in the Federal Register on January 21, 2004 (69 FR 2991).
        The crisis with respect to the grave acts of violence committed by
    foreign terrorists that disrupt the Middle East peace process that led
    to the declaration of a national

    [[Page 64]]

    emergency on January 23, 1995, as expanded on August 20, 1998, has not
    been resolved. Terrorist groups continue to engage in activities that
    have the purpose or effect of threatening the Middle East peace process
    and that are hostile to United States interests in the region. Such
    actions constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national
    security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. For these
    reasons, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national
    emergency declared with respect to foreign terrorists who threaten to
    disrupt the Middle East peace process and to maintain in force the
    economic sanctions against them to respond to this threat.
             Sincerely,

                                                              George W. Bush

    Note: Identical letters were sent to J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the
    House of Representatives, and Richard B. Cheney, President of the
    Senate. An original was not available for verification of the content of
    this letter. The notice of January 17 is listed in Appendix D at the end
    of this volume.