[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 1 (Monday, January 10, 2000)]
[Page 13]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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 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.