U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

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99–011 2011

112th Congress, 1st Session – – – – – – – – – – – – – House Document 112–19 

CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY 

WITH RESPECT TO SYRIA 

COMMUNICATION 

FROM

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES 

TRANSMITTING

NOTIFICATION THAT THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT 

TO BLOCKING PROPERTY OF CERTAIN PERSONS AND PROHIBITING THE EXPORTATION AND REEXPORTATION OF CERTAIN 

GOODS TO SYRIA, ORIGINALLY DECLARED ON MAY 11, 2004, BY 

EXECUTIVE ORDER 13338, IS TO CONTINUE IN EFFECT BEYOND 

MAY 11, 2011, PURSUANT TO 50 U.S.C. 1622(d) 

MAY 2, 2011.—Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered 

to be printed 


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THE WHITE HOUSE, 

Washington, April 29, 2011. 

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, 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 13338 of May 11, 2004, and relied upon for additional 

steps taken in Executive Order 13399 of April 25, 2006, and Executive Order 13460 of February 13, 2008, is to continue in effect beyond May 11, 2011. 

The Syrian government has reduced the number of foreign fighters bound for Iraq—although the fighters have still created serious 

problems there—but its actions and policies, including continuing 

support for terrorist organizations, damaging the Lebanese government’s ability to function, and pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and missile programs, pose a continuing 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 use of violence against peacefully demonstrating citizens in Syria, and calls on the Syrian government to respect 

human rights and to forge a credible path to a future of greater 

freedom, democracy, opportunity, and justice. As we have communicated to the Syrian government directly, the United States will 

consider changes in the 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

THE 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 13338, in which he declared a national emergency with respect to the actions of the Government of Syria. To deal with this 

national emergency, Executive Order 13338 authorized the blocking of property of certain persons and prohibited the exportation or 

reexportation of certain goods to Syria. On April 25, 2006, and February 13, 2008, the President issued Executive Order 13399 and 

Executive Order 13460, respectively, to take additional steps with 

respect to this national emergency. 

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 Syrian government has reduced the number of foreign fighters bound for Iraq—although the fighters have still created serious 

problems there—but its actions and policies, including continuing 

support for terrorist organizations, damaging the Lebanese government’s ability to function, and pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and missile programs, 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 adopted on that date, 

on April 25, 2006, in Executive Order 13399, and on February 13, 

2008, in Executive Order 13460, to deal with that emergency must 

continue in effect beyond May 11, 2011. 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 certain actions of the Government of Syria. 

In addition, the United States condemns the use of violence against 

peacefully demonstrating citizens in Syria, and calls on the Syrian 

government to respect human rights and to forge a credible path 

to a future of greater freedom, democracy, opportunity, and justice. 

The United States will consider changes in the policies and actions 

of the Government of Syria in determining whether to continue or 

terminate this national emergency in the future and would welcome progress by the Government of Syria on these matters. This 


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notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted 

to the Congress. 

BARACK OBAMA. 

THE WHITE HOUSE, April 29, 2011. 

Æ 


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