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[House Document 112-107]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

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
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.
                                 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 national 
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.

                                  
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