U.S. President George W. Bush on Thursday announced a continuation of the National Emergency on people who “commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism.” In a statement released by the President's press office, Bush said he will extend his executive order, which he declared on September 23, 2001. The order declares a “national emergency with respect to persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism, pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act,” Bush said. Bush's move to declare such an order were influenced by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against America, which he called an “unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States constituted by the grave acts of terrorism and threats of terrorism committed by foreign terrorists.” Also citing the “continuing and immediate threat of further attacks against United States nationals or the United States,” Bush said a continuation of a state of national emergency is important “because the actions of these persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the United States.” With his continuation of the declaration, the measures will be in effect beyond September 23, 2009.
