U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

1 

49–011 2015

114th Congress, 1st Session – – – – – – – – – – – – – House Document 114–34 

CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY 

WITH RESPECT TO ACTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT 

OF SYRIA 

COMMUNICATION 

FROM

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES 

TRANSMITTING

NOTIFICATION THAT THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT 

TO SYRIA, ORIGINALLY DECLARED ON MAY 11, 2004, BY EXECUTIVE ORDER 13338, AS MODIFIED, IS TO CONTINUE IN EFFECT 

BEYOND MAY 11, 2015 

MAY 8, 2015.—Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered 

to be printed 


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THE WHITE HOUSE, 

Washington, May 6, 2015. 

Hon. JOHN BOEHNER, 

Speaker of the House of Representatives, 

Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. SPEAKER: 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 the actions of the Government of Syria declared in Executive Order (E.O.) 13338 of May 11, 2004—as modified in scope and relied upon for additional steps taken in E.O. 

13399 of April 25, 2006, E.O. 13460 of February 13, 2008, E.O. 

13572 of April 29, 2011, E.O. 13573 of May 18, 2011, E.O. 13582 

of August 17, 2011, E.O. 13606 of April 22, 2012, and E.O. 13608 

of May 1, 2012—is to continue in effect beyond May 11, 2015. 

The regime’s brutal war on the Syrian people, who have been 

calling for freedom and a representative government, not only endangers the Syrian people themselves, but could yield greater instability throughout the region. The Syrian regime’s actions and 

policies, including pursuing chemical and biological weapons, supporting terrorist organizations, and obstructing the Lebanese government’s ability to function effectively, are fostering the rise of extremism and sectarianism and continue to pose 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 in effect the national emergency declared with respect to this threat and to maintain in force the sanctions to address this national emergency. 

In addition, the United States condemns the Asad regime’s use 

of brutal violence and human rights abuses and calls on the Asad 

regime to stop its violent war and allow a political transition in 

Syria that will forge a credible path to a future of greater freedom, 

democracy, opportunity, and justice. 

The United States will consider changes in the composition, policies, and actions of the Government of Syria in determining whether to continue or terminate this national emergency in the future. 

Sincerely, 

BARACK OBAMA. 


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NOTICE

CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO

ACTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF SYRIA

On May 11, 2004, pursuant to his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1701–1706, 

and the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration 

Act of 2003, Public Law 108–175, the President issued Executive 

Order (E.O.) 13338, in which he declared a national emergency 

with respect to the actions of the Government of Syria. To deal 

with this national emergency, E.O. 13338 authorized the blocking 

of property of certain persons and prohibited the exportation or reexportation of certain goods to Syria. The national emergency was 

modified in scope and relied upon for additional steps taken in E.O. 

13399 of April 25, 2006, E.O. 13460 of February 13, 2008, E.O. 

13572 of April 29, 2011, E.O. 13573 of May 18, 2011, E.O. 13582 

of August 17, 2011, E.O. 13606 of April 22, 2012, and E.O. 13608 

of May 1, 2012. 

The President took these actions to deal with the unusual and 

extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and 

economy of the United States constituted by the actions of the Government of Syria in supporting terrorism, maintaining its then-existing occupation of Lebanon, pursuing weapons of mass destruction and missile programs, and undermining U.S. and international 

efforts with respect to the stabilization and reconstruction of Iraq. 

The regime’s brutality and repression of the Syrian people, who 

have been calling for freedom and a representative government, not 

only endangers the Syrian people themselves, but also is generating instability throughout the region. The Syrian regime’s actions 

and policies, including with respect to chemical and biological 

weapons, supporting terrorist organizations, and obstructing the 

Lebanese government’s ability to function effectively, continue to 

pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, 

foreign policy, and economy of the United States. As a result, the 

national emergency declared on May 11, 2004, and the measures 

to deal with that emergency adopted on that date in E.O. 13338; 

on April 25, 2006, in E.O. 13399; on February 13, 2008, in E.O. 

13460; on April 29, 2011, in E.O. 13572; on May 18, 2011, in E.O. 

13573; on August 17, 2011, in E.O. 13582; on April 22, 2012, in 

E.O. 13606; and on May 1, 2012, in E.O. 13608; must continue in 

effect beyond May 11, 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 declared with respect 

to the actions of the Government of Syria. 

In addition, the United States condemns the Asad regime’s use 

of brutal violence and human rights abuses and calls on the Asad 


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regime to stop its violence against the Syrian people and allow a 

political transition in Syria that will forge a credible path to a future of greater freedom, democracy, opportunity, and justice. 

The United States will consider changes in the composition, policies, and actions of the Government of Syria in determining whether to continue or terminate this national emergency in the future. 

This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress. 

BARACK OBAMA. 

THE WHITE HOUSE, May 6, 2015. 

Æ 


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