U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

1 

59–011 2016

114th Congress, 2d Session – – – – – – – – – – – – House Document 114–135 

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 IN EXECUTIVE ORDER 13047 

OF MAY 20, 1997, IS TO CONTINUE IN EFFECT BEYOND MAY 

20, 2016, PURSUANT TO 50 U.S.C. 1622(d); PUBLIC LAW 94–412, 

SEC. 202(d); (90 STAT. 1257) 

MAY 17, 2016.—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, 2016. 

The Government of Burma has made significant progress across 

a number of important areas since 2011, including the release of 

over 1,300 political prisoners, a peaceful and competitive election, 

the signing of a Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement with eight ethnic 

armed groups, 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 non-proliferation. 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 continued obstacles to full civilian 

control of the government, the ongoing conflict and human rights 

abuses in the country, particularly in ethnic minority areas, and 

military trade with North Korea. In addition, Burma’s security 

forces, operating with little oversight from the civilian government, 

often act with impunity. We are further concerned that prisoners 

remain detained and that police continue to arrest critics of the 

government for peacefully expressing their views. For this reason, 

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 

working with both the new government and the people of Burma 

to ensure that the democratic transition is irreversible. 

BARACK OBAMA. 

THE WHITE HOUSE, May 17, 2016. 


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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, 2016. 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 17, 2016. 

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