[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 27 (Monday, July 10, 2000)]
[Page 1577]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Letter to Congressional Leaders on Continuation of the National 
Emergency With Respect to the Taliban

June 30, 2000

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 to the Federal Register for publication, stating that 
the emergency declared with respect to the Taliban is to continue in 
effect beyond July 5, 2000.
    On July 4, 1999, I issued Executive Order 13129, ``Blocking Property 
and Prohibiting Transactions with the Taliban,'' to deal with the 
unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign 
policy of the United States posed by the actions and policies of the 
Taliban in Afghanistan. The order blocks all property and interests in 
property of the Taliban and prohibits trade-related transactions by 
United States persons involving the territory of Afghanistan controlled 
by the Taliban.
    The Taliban continues to allow territory under its control in 
Afghanistan to be used as a safe haven and base of operations for Usama 
bin Laden and the Al-Qaida organization, who have committed and threaten 
to continue to commit acts of violence against the United States and its 
nationals. This situation continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary 
threat to the national security and foreign policy interests of the 
United States. For these reasons, I have determined that it is necessary 
to maintain in force these emergency authorities beyond July 5, 2000.
     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 item was not received in time for publication in the appropriate 
issue.