[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 20 (Monday, May 19, 2003)]
[Pages 615-616]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message to the Congress on Continuation of the National Emergency With 
Respect to Burma

May 16, 2003

To the Congress of the United States:

    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

[[Page 616]]

is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. I have sent the 
enclosed notice, stating that the Burma emergency is to continue beyond 
May 20, 2003, to the Federal Register for publication. The most recent 
notice continuing this emergency was published in the Federal Register 
on May 17, 2002.
    The crisis between the United States and Burma that led to the 
declaration of a national emergency on May 20, 1997, has not been 
resolved. The actions and policies of the Government of Burma, including 
its policies of committing large-scale repression of the democratic 
opposition in Burma, are hostile to U.S. interests and pose a continuing 
unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign 
policy of the United States. For this reason, I have determined that it 
is necessary to continue the national emergency with respect to Burma 
and maintain in force the sanctions against Burma to respond to this 
threat.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 May 16, 2003.