[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 21 (Monday, May 24, 2004)]
[Pages 913-914]
[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 17, 2004

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 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, 2004, to the Federal 
Register for publication. The most recent notice continuing this 
emergency was published in the Federal Register on May 19, 2003.
    The crisis between the United States and Burma, constituted by the 
actions and policies of the Government of Burma, including

[[Page 914]]

its policies of committing large-scale repression of the democratic 
opposition in Burma that led to the declaration of a national emergency 
on May 20, 1997, has not been resolved. These actions and policies 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 17, 2004.