[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.