U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

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79–011 2009

111th Congress, 1st Session – – – – – – – – – – – – – House Document 111–39 

CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY 

WITH RESPECT TO BURMA 

MESSAGE 

FROM

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES 

TRANSMITTING

CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT 

TO BURMA, PURSUANT TO 50 U.S.C. 1622(d) 

MAY 18, 2009.—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, 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, stating that the Burma 

emergency is to continue for 1 year beyond May 20, 2009. 

The crisis between the United States and Burma arising from 

the actions and policies of the Government of Burma, including its 

engaging in large-scale repression of the democratic opposition in 

Burma that led to the declaration of a national emergency in Executive Order 13047 of May 20, 1997, as modified in scope and relied 

upon for additional steps taken in Executive Order 13310 of July 

28, 2003, Executive Order 13448 of October 18, 2007, and Executive Order 13464 of April 30, 2008, has not been resolved. These 

actions and policies 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. 

BARACK OBAMA. 

THE WHITE HOUSE, May 14, 2009. 


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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 

has committed large-scale repression of the democratic opposition 

in Burma after September 30, 1996, thereby invoking the prohibition on new investment in Burma by Untied States persons contained in that section. The President also declared a national emergency to deal with the threat posted to the national security and 

foreign policy of the United States by the actions and policies of the 

Government of Burma, invoking the authority, inter alia, of the 

International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1701 et 

seq. 

On July 28, 2003, the President issued Executive Order 13310, 

taking additional steps with respect to that national emergency by 

putting in place an import ban required by the Burmese Freedom 

and Democracy Act of 2003 and prohibiting exports of financial 

services to Burma and the dealing in property in which certain designated persons have an interest. On October 18, 2007, the President issued Executive Order 13448, expanding the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13047 and taking additional 

steps to prohibit transactions or dealings with certain persons, including the Burmese regime’s financial supporters and their companies, as well as individuals determined to be responsible for or 

to have participated in human rights abuses or to have engaged in 

activities facilitating public corruption in Burma. 

On April 30, 2008, the President issued Executive Order 13464, 

taking additional steps with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13047, in order to address the Government of Burma’s continued repression of the democratic opposition 

in Burma. 

Because 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, the national 

emergency declared on May 20, 1997, and the measures adopted on 

that date, July 28, 2003, October 18, 2007, and April 30, 2008, to 

deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond May 20, 

2009. 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 


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national emergency with respect to Burma. This notice shall be 

published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress. 

BARACK OBAMA. 

THE WHITE HOUSE, May 14, 2009. 

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