U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

1 

49–011 2015

114th Congress, 1st Session – – – – – – – – – – – – – House Document 114–39 

CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY 

WITH RESPECT TO BURMA 

MESSAGE 

FROM

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES 

TRANSMITTING

NOTIFICATION THAT THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY, WITH RESPECT 

TO BURMA, ORIGINALLY DECLARED ON MAY 20, 1997, IS TO 

CONTINUE IN EFFECT BEYOND MAY 20, 2015, PURSUANT TO 50 

U.S.C. 1622(d) 

MAY 18, 2015.—Message and accompanying papers referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed 


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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, within 90 days 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 national emergency with 

respect to Burma that was declared on May 20, 1997, is to continue 

in effect beyond May 20, 2015. The Government of Burma has 

made significant progress across a number of important areas, including the release of over 1,300 political prisoners, continued 

progress toward a nationwide cease-fire, the discharge of hundreds 

of child soldiers from the military, steps to improve labor standards, and expanding political space for civil society to have a greater voice in shaping issues critical to Burma’s future. In addition, 

Burma has become a signatory of the International Atomic Energy 

Agency’s Additional Protocol and ratified the Biological Weapons 

Convention, significant steps towards supporting global nonproliferation. Despite these strides, the situation in the country 

continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. 

Concerns persist regarding the ongoing conflict and human 

rights abuses in the country, particularly in ethnic minority areas 

and Rakhine State. In addition, Burma’s military operates with little oversight from the civilian government and often acts with impunity. For these reasons, I have determined that it is necessary 

to continue the national emergency with respect to Burma. 

Despite this action, the United States remains committed to supporting and strengthening Burma’s reform efforts and to continue 

working both with the Burmese government and people to ensure 

that the democratic transition is sustained and irreversible. 

BARACK OBAMA. 

THE WHITE HOUSE, May 15, 2015. 


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NOTICE

CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO

BURMA

On May 20, 1997, the President issued Executive Order 13047, 

certifying to the Congress under section 570(b) of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations 

Act, 1997 (Public Law 104–208), that the Government of Burma 

had committed large-scale repression of the democratic opposition 

in Burma after September 30, 1996, thereby invoking the prohibition on new investment in Burma by United States persons contained in that section. The President also declared a national emergency pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers 

Act, 50 U.S.C. 1701–1706, to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the 

United States constituted by the actions and policies of the Government of Burma. 

The actions and policies of the Government of Burma continue to 

pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security 

and foreign policy of the United States. For this reason, the national emergency declared on May 20, 1997, and the measures 

adopted to deal with that emergency in Executive Orders 13047 of 

May 20, 1997; 13310 of July 28, 2003; 13448 of October 18, 2007; 

13464 of April 30, 2008; 13619 of July 11, 2012; and 13651 of August 6, 2013, must continue in effect beyond May 20, 2015. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies 

Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national 

emergency with respect to Burma declared in Executive Order 

13047. This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and 

transmitted to the Congress. 

BARACK OBAMA. 

THE WHITE HOUSE, May 15, 2015. 

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