For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
May 17, 2005
Message to the Congress of the United States Regarding the National Emergencies Act and Burma
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.
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