    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book II)]
    [October 27, 2006]
    [Pages 1960-1962]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Letter to Congressional Leaders Reporting on Blocking Property of
    Certain Persons Contributing to the Conflict in the Democratic Republic
    of the Congo
    October 27, 2006

    Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Dear Mr. President:)
        Consistent with subsection 204(b) of the International Emergency
    Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1703(b)(IEEPA), and section 301 of the
    National Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. 1631 (NEA), I hereby report that I
    have issued an Executive Order (the ``order'') blocking the property of
    certain persons contributing to the conflict in the Democratic Republic
    of the Congo. In that order, I declared a national emergency to deal
    with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the foreign policy of the
    United States posed by that conflict, as described below.
        The conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been the
    deadliest conflict since World War II, with an estimated four million
    dead since 1996, many from hunger and disease resulting from the
    fighting. The United Nations Security Council, in Resolution 1596 of
    April 18, 2005, Resolution 1649 of December 21, 2005, Resolution 1698 of
    July 31, 2006, and numerous other resolutions, has expressed serious
    concern over the presence of armed groups and militias in the Democratic
    Republic of the Congo, which perpetuate both the conflict in the country
    and a climate of insecurity throughout the entire region.
        The conflict has been marked by serious violations of human rights
    and international humanitarian law by these militias and armed groups,
    including the massacre of civilians, sexual violence against women and
    girls, and the recruitment and use of children in the hostilities. The
    perpetuation of the conflict undermines the progress and promise of the
    Global and All-Inclusive Agreement on the Transition in the Democratic
    Republic of the Congo, signed in 2002, which created a process that can
    lead to the long-term restoration of peace and

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    stability, national reconciliation, and establishment of the rule of
    law.
        The order blocks the property and interests in property in the
    United States, or in the possession or control of United States persons,
    of the persons listed in the Annex to the order, as well as of any
    person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, after consultation
    with the Secretary of State
         to be a political or military leader of a foreign armed
                group operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that
                impedes the disarmament, repatriation, or resettlement of
                combatants;
         to be a political or military leader of a Congolese armed
                group that impedes the disarmament, demobilization, or
                reintegration of combatants;
         to be a political or military leader recruiting or using
                children in armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the
                Congo in violation of applicable international law;
         to have committed serious violations of international law
                involving the targeting of children in situations of armed
                conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including
                killing and maiming, sexual violence, abduction, and forced
                displacement; or
         to have directly or indirectly supplied, sold, or
                transferred to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or been
                the recipient in the territory of the Democratic Republic of
                the Congo of, arms and related materiel, including military
                aircraft and equipment, or advice, training, or assistance,
                including financing and financial assistance, related to
                military activities.
        The designation criteria will be applied consistent with applicable
    Federal law, including, where appropriate, the First Amendment to the
    United States Constitution.
        The order also authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury, after
    consultation with the Secretary of State, to designate for blocking any
    person determined to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided
    financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services
    in support of, the activities listed above or any person listed in or
    designated pursuant to the order. I further authorized the Secretary of
    the Treasury, after consultation with the Secretary of State, to
    designate for blocking any person determined to be owned or controlled
    by, or acting or purporting to act for or on behalf of, directly or
    indirectly, any person listed in or designated pursuant to the order.
    The Secretary of the Treasury, after consultation with the Secretary of
    State, is also authorized to determine that circumstances no longer
    warrant the blocking of the property and interests in property of, or
    the prohibiting of transactions with, a person listed in the Annex to
    the order.
        I delegated to the Secretary of the Treasury, after consultation
    with the Secretary of State, the authority to take such actions,
    including the promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all
    powers granted to the President by the IEEPA and the United Nations
    Participation Act, as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of the
    order. All executive agencies are directed to take all appropriate
    measures within their authority to carry out the provisions of the
    order.
        The order, a copy of which is enclosed, became effective at 12:01
    a.m. eastern standard time on October 30, 2006.
             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. This letter was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    October 31. The Executive order of October 27 is listed in Appendix D at
    the end of this volume.

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