[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 20 (Monday, May 23, 2005)]
[Page 819]
[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, 2005

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 to the Federal 
Register for publication, which states that the Burma emergency is to 
continue beyond May 20, 2005. The most recent notice continuing this 
emergency was published in the Federal Register on May 19, 2004 (69 FR 
29041).
    The crisis between the United States and Burma arising from the 
actions and policies of the Government of Burma that led to the 
declaration of a national emergency on May 20, 1997, has not been 
resolved. These actions and policies, 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 17, 2005.