[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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