Letter to Congressional Leaders on Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation in Belarus

Dear Madam Speaker: (Dear Madam President:)

Pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), I hereby report that I have issued an Executive Order to expand the scope of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13405 of June 16, 2006 (Blocking Property of Certain Persons Undermining Democratic Processes or Institutions in Belarus), finding that the Belarusian regime's harmful activities and long-standing abuses aimed at suppressing democracy and the exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Belarus—including illicit and oppressive activities stemming from the August 9, 2020, fraudulent Belarusian presidential election and its aftermath, such as the elimination of political opposition and civil society organizations and the regime's disruption and endangering of international civil air travel—constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. The order augments the sanctions designation criteria for current threats to United States national security and foreign policy interests posed by the Belarusian regime. All executive departments and agencies are directed to take all appropriate measures within their authority to implement this order.

I am enclosing a copy of the Executive Order I have issued.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.