U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

1 

19–011 2012

112th Congress, 2d Session – – – – – – – – – – – – House Document 112–107 

CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY 

WITH RESPECT TO SYRIA 

MESSAGE 

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, IS TO CONTINUE IN EFFECT BEYOND MAY 

11, 2012 

MAY 9, 2012.—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 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, 2012. 

While the Syrian regime has reduced the number of foreign fighters bound for Iraq, the regime’s own brutality and repression of its 

citizens who have been calling for freedom and a representative 

government endangers not only the Syrian people themselves, but 

could yield greater instability throughout the region. The Syrian 

regime’s actions and policies, including obstructing the Lebanese 

government’s ability to function effectively, pursuing chemical and 

biological weapons, and supporting terrorist organizations, 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 step aside and immediately begin a transition in Syria 

to a political process 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. 

BARACK OBAMA. 

THE WHITE HOUSE, May 9, 2012. 


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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 U.S. and international 

efforts with respect to the stabilization and reconstruction of Iraq. 

While the Syrian regime has reduced the number of foreign fighters bound for Iraq, the regime’s own brutality and repression of its 

citizens who have been calling for freedom and a representative 

government endangers not only the Syrian people themselves, but 

could yield greater instability throughout the region. The Syrian 

regime’s actions and policies, including obstructing the Lebanese 

government’s ability to function effectively, pursuing chemical and 

biological weapons, and supporting terrorist organizations, 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 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, to deal with 

that emergency must continue in effect beyond May 11, 2012. 

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 naVerDate Mar 15 2010 02:20 May 10, 2012 Jkt 019011 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6601 Sfmt 6601 E:\HR\OC\HD107.XXX HD107

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tional 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 

regime to step aside and immediately begin a transition in Syria 

to a political process 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 9, 2012. 

Æ 


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