[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 3 (Monday, January 24, 2005)]
[Pages 70-71]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Letter to Congressional Leaders on Continuation of the National 
Emergency With Respect to Terrorists Who Threaten To Disrupt the Middle 
East Peace Process

January 17, 2005

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 to the 
Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice, stating that the 
emergency declared with respect to foreign terrorists who threaten to 
disrupt the Middle East peace process is to continue in effect beyond 
January 23, 2005. The most recent

[[Page 71]]

notice continuing this emergency was published in the Federal Register 
on January 21, 2004 (69 FR 2991).
    The crisis with respect to the grave acts of violence committed by 
foreign terrorists that disrupt the Middle East peace process that led 
to the declaration of a national emergency on January 23, 1995, as 
expanded on August 20, 1998, has not been resolved. Terrorist groups 
continue to engage in activities that have the purpose or effect of 
threatening the Middle East peace process and that are hostile to United 
States interests in the region. Such actions constitute an unusual and 
extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and 
economy of the United States. For these reasons, I have determined that 
it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared with respect 
to foreign terrorists who threaten to disrupt the Middle East peace 
process and to maintain in force the economic sanctions against them to 
respond to this threat.
     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 
January 18. An original was not available for verification of the 
content of this letter.