U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

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69–011 2017

115th Congress, 1st Session – – – – – – – – – – – – – House Document 115–40 

CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY 

WITH RESPECT TO THE ACTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF SYRIA 

COMMUNICATION 

FROM

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES 

TRANSMITTING

NOTIFICATION THAT THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT 

TO THE ACTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF SYRIA, DECLARED 

IN EXECUTIVE ORDER 13338 OF MAY 11, 2004, AS MODIFIED, IS 

TO CONTINUE IN EFFECT BEYOND MAY 11, 2017, PURSUANT TO 

50 U.S.C. 1622(d); PUBLIC LAW 94–412, SEC. 202(d); (90 STAT. 1257) 

MAY 11, 2017.—Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered 

to be printed 


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THE WHITE HOUSE, 

Washington, May 9, 2017. 

Hon. PAUL D. RYAN, 

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 13338 of May 11, 2004—as modified in 

scope and relied upon for additional steps taken in Executive Order 

13399 of April 25, 2006, Executive Order 13460 of February 13, 

2008, Executive Order 13572 of April 29, 2011, Executive Order 

13573 of May 18, 2011, Executive Order 13582 of August 17, 2011, 

Executive Order 13606 of April 22, 2012, and Executive Order 

13608 of May 1, 2012—is to continue in effect beyond May 11, 

2017. 

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 also generates instability throughout the region. The Syrian regime’s actions and policies, including pursuing and using chemical and biological weapons, supporting terrorist organizations, and obstructing the Lebanese government’s ability to function effectively, continue to foster 

the rise of extremism and sectarianism and 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 Assad regime’s use 

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

regime to stop its violent war, uphold the Cessation of Hostilities, 

enable the delivery of humanitarian assistance, and negotiate 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, 

DONALD J. TRUMP. 


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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. The national emergency 

was modified in scope and relied upon for additional steps taken 

in Executive Order 13399 of April 25, 2006, Executive Order 13460 

of February 13, 2008, Executive Order 13572 of April 29, 2011, Executive Order 13573 of May 18, 2011, Executive Order 13582 of August 17, 2011, Executive Order 13606 of April 22, 2012, and Executive Order 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 United States 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 generates 

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 foster the 

rise of extremism and sectarianism and 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 Executive Order 13338; on April 25, 

2006, in Executive Order 13399; on February 13, 2008, in Executive Order 13460; on April 29, 2011, in Executive Order 13572; on 

May 18, 2011, in Executive Order 13573; on August 17, 2011, in 

Executive Order 13582; on April 22, 2012, in Executive Order 

13606; and on May 1, 2012, in Executive Order 13608, must continue in effect beyond May 11, 2017. Therefore, in accordance with 

section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. 1622(d), 


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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 Assad regime’s use 

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

regime to stop its violence against the Syrian people, uphold the 

Cessation of Hostilities, enable the delivery of humanitarian assistance, 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. 

DONALD J. TRUMP. 

THE WHITE HOUSE, May 9, 2017. 

Æ 


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