[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 30 (Monday, August 4, 2008)]
[Page 1047]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message to the Congress on Continuation of the National Emergency With 
Respect to the Actions of Certain Persons To Undermine the Sovereignty 
of Lebanon or its Democratic Processes and Institutions

July 30, 2008

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. In accordance with this provision, I have sent the 
enclosed notice to the Federal Register for publication stating that the 
national emergency and related measures blocking the property of persons 
undermining the sovereignty of Lebanon or its democratic processes and 
institutions and certain other persons are to continue in effect beyond 
August 1, 2008.
    The actions of certain persons to undermine Lebanon's legitimate and 
democratically elected government or democratic institutions, to 
contribute to the deliberate breakdown in the rule of law in Lebanon, 
including through politically motivated violence and intimidation, to 
reassert Syrian control or contribute to Syrian interference in Lebanon, 
or to infringe upon or undermine Lebanese sovereignty contribute to 
political and economic instability in that country and the region and 
constitute a continuing unusual and extraordinary threat to the national 
security and foreign policy of the United States. For these reasons, I 
have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency 
and related measures blocking the property of persons undermining the 
sovereignty of Lebanon or its democratic processes and institutions and 
certain other persons.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 July 30, 2008.