06-12-2025

Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Belarus

NoticeView the Original .pdf
View the Original .pdf

The 1-Minute Brief

What: This executive action continues a national emergency concerning Belarus for one year, extending the President's authority to impose economic sanctions against individuals and entities responsible for undermining democracy, human rights abuses, and corruption.

Money: There is no direct cost to the U.S. government associated with this continuation. The financial impact is primarily on the sanctioned Belarusian individuals and entities through blocked assets and restricted access to the U.S. financial system. The exact value of frozen assets is not specified in the notice.

Your Impact: For the average American, the direct impact is minimal. The action primarily affects those doing business with specific sanctioned individuals and entities in Belarus. It reinforces the U.S. foreign policy stance against the current Belarusian regime.

Status: The national emergency, originally declared on June 16, 2006, and expanded on August 9, 2021, has been continued for one year beyond June 16, 2025.

What's Actually in the Bill

This notice, issued by the White House on June 9, 2025, extends the national emergency originally established by Executive Order 13405 in 2006. That order was a response to the actions of the Belarusian government under President Alexander Lukashenka, which the U.S. deemed anti-democratic and corrupt. In 2021, Executive Order 14038 expanded the emergency's scope following a fraudulent presidential election in August 2020, a severe crackdown on political opposition, and the forced diversion of a civilian Ryanair flight to arrest a journalist. The continuation of this emergency allows the President to maintain and potentially expand sanctions against those in Belarus deemed a threat to U.S. national security and foreign policy.

Core Provisions:

  • The national emergency concerning Belarus is officially extended for 1 year beyond its expiration date of June 16, 2025.
  • This continuation maintains the legal framework for sanctions established under Executive Orders 13405 and 14038.
  • The sanctions include blocking property and interests in property of designated Belarusian individuals and entities within the United States.
  • It also prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with these designated parties.

Stated Purpose (from the Sponsors):

The White House states this action is necessary because the policies and actions of the Belarusian government continue to represent an "unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States." The stated reasons include:

  1. Undermining Belarus's democratic processes and institutions, specifically citing the "fundamentally undemocratic" March 2006 elections and the "fraudulent" August 2020 presidential election.
  2. Committing human rights abuses related to political repression, including detentions and the elimination of civil society organizations.
  3. Engaging in public corruption, such as the misuse of public assets.
  4. Endangering international civil air travel, a direct reference to the forced landing of Ryanair Flight 4978.

Key Facts:

Affected Sectors: Defense, security, energy, potassium chloride (potash), tobacco products, construction, and transportation sectors of the Belarus economy.
Timeline: The extension is effective beyond June 16, 2025, for one year.
Scope: The action targets specific members of the Government of Belarus, entities owned or controlled by them, and other persons contributing to the political repression and corruption in the country.

The Backstory: How We Got Here

Timeline of Events:

The Post-Soviet Era & Lukashenka's Rise (1991-2005):

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the United States recognized Belarus's independence on December 25, 1991. Alexander Lukashenka was elected president in 1994 in what was generally considered a free and fair election. However, he quickly consolidated power, and a 1996 referendum that expanded his authority was heavily criticized by the West. Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, relations between the U.S. and Belarus soured due to increasing authoritarianism and human rights concerns in Belarus.

Initial Sanctions & Stagnation (2006-2019):

The 2006 presidential election in Belarus was widely condemned as undemocratic. In response, President George W. Bush issued Executive Order 13405, declaring a national emergency and imposing the first significant U.S. sanctions, freezing assets of and banning travel for Belarusian officials implicated in undermining democracy and human rights abuses. Diplomatic relations deteriorated significantly, leading to Belarus expelling the U.S. ambassador in 2008 and a drastic reduction in embassy staff. Sanctions were partially eased in 2015 after the release of political prisoners, but the core of the sanctions regime remained.

The Crisis of Democracy (2020-Present):

The August 9, 2020, presidential election, in which Lukashenka claimed a landslide victory, was widely seen as fraudulent and triggered unprecedented mass protests across Belarus. The government responded with a brutal crackdown, detaining tens of thousands and suppressing opposition. On May 23, 2021, Belarusian authorities forced a Ryanair flight to land in Minsk to arrest opposition journalist Roman Protasevich and his girlfriend, an act widely condemned as a "state hijacking." This led to President Biden issuing Executive Order 14038 on August 9, 2021, which expanded the national emergency and sanctions to target key sectors of the Belarusian economy and more individuals involved in the regime's repressive activities.

Why Now? The Political Calculus:

  • The notice is a legally required administrative step. The National Emergencies Act requires the President to actively renew a national emergency annually, or it automatically terminates.
  • The ongoing actions of the Lukashenka regime, including its continued repression of dissent and its support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, make lifting the emergency politically untenable for the U.S. administration.
  • Maintaining the state of emergency signals continued U.S. support for the Belarusian pro-democracy movement and maintains pressure on the Lukashenka government.
  • The renewal aligns the U.S. with its allies, including the European Union, which have also maintained and expanded sanctions against Belarus for the same reasons.

Your Real-World Impact

The Direct Answer: This action directly affects specific Belarusian individuals and industries, with minimal direct impact on the lives of most Americans.

What Could Change for You:

Potential Benefits:

  • For the general public, the primary benefit is the reinforcement of a foreign policy that supports democratic movements and holds authoritarian regimes accountable for human rights violations.
  • It prevents U.S. persons and companies from becoming unknowingly complicit in transactions with individuals or entities involved in corruption or human rights abuses in Belarus.

Possible Disruptions or Costs:

Short-term (Immediate):

  • U.S. businesses with potential or existing ties to Belarus must exercise increased due diligence to ensure they are not dealing with sanctioned entities, which can incur legal and compliance costs.

Long-term:

  • The continued sanctions contribute to the economic isolation of Belarus, which could have broader geopolitical consequences in Eastern Europe. The long-term effects on the U.S. are largely indirect and tied to the stability of the region.

Who's Most Affected:

Primary Groups: Sanctioned Belarusian government officials, their families, and key state-owned enterprises in sectors like defense, energy, and potash.
Secondary Groups: U.S. and international companies that have business dealings in Belarus, international banks that process transactions involving Belarus, and the Belarusian people who may experience the broader economic effects of sanctions.
Regional Impact: The impact is concentrated on Belarus and its immediate neighbors in the European Union (Poland, Lithuania, Latvia) who deal with the consequences of the regime's actions, such as orchestrated migrant crises.

Bottom Line: For the average American citizen, this is a foreign policy action with no tangible, immediate impact on daily life; its purpose is to apply long-term pressure on a foreign government.

Where the Parties Stand

Republican Position: "Holding Authoritarians Accountable"

Core Stance: There is broad, bipartisan support for holding the Lukashenka regime accountable, though specific strategies may differ.

Their Arguments:

  • ✓ Support for sanctions against authoritarian regimes that violate human rights and democratic norms.
  • ✓ Often advocate for a strong U.S. stance on the world stage to deter anti-democratic actions.
  • ⚠️ Some may have concerns about the long-term effectiveness of sanctions or their impact on the civilian population.
  • ✗ Generally, there is no significant opposition to the principle of sanctioning the Belarusian government for its actions.

Legislative Strategy: Generally supportive of executive actions like this continuation. Members of Congress from both parties have previously called for sanctions in response to the events in Belarus.

Democratic Position: "Supporting Democracy and Human Rights"

Core Stance: Strong and consistent support for sanctions as a tool to punish the Lukashenka regime and support the Belarusian pro-democracy movement.

Their Arguments:

  • ✓ Strong emphasis on human rights as a cornerstone of foreign policy.
  • ✓ Support for coordinating with international allies like the EU to maximize pressure on the regime.
  • ⚠️ Some on the progressive wing may express general caution about the broad economic impact of sanctions on ordinary citizens.
  • ✗ No significant opposition to continuing the national emergency and associated sanctions against the Lukashenka regime.

Legislative Strategy: The Biden administration initiated the expansion of sanctions in 2021, and the party is fully aligned with continuing this policy. They actively engage with Belarusian opposition leaders.

Constitutional Check

The Verdict: ✓ Constitutional

Basis of Authority:

The President's action is based on the powers granted by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the National Emergencies Act (NEA).

International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.): "[The President has the authority to] deal with any unusual and extraordinary threat, which has its source in whole or substantial part outside the United States, to the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States, if the President declares a national emergency with respect to such threat."

Constitutional Implications:

[Delegation of Powers]: IEEPA is a statutory delegation of power from Congress to the President, allowing the executive branch to act swiftly to foreign threats by regulating international commerce.
[Precedent]: The use of IEEPA to impose economic sanctions has been a common practice by presidents of both parties for decades and has been consistently upheld by the courts.
[Federalism]: This action pertains to foreign policy and international commerce, which are domains of federal authority, and does not overstep into powers reserved for the states.

Potential Legal Challenges:

Legal challenges are unlikely to succeed against the continuation of the emergency itself, as the President is acting within the established statutory authority of IEEPA. Any legal challenges would more likely come from designated persons or entities challenging their specific inclusion on the sanctions list, arguing that the designation was arbitrary or lacked sufficient evidence, rather than contesting the President's authority to maintain the emergency.

Your Action Options

TO SUPPORT THIS BILL

5-Minute Actions:

  • Call Your Rep/Senators: Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121. "I'm a constituent from [Your City/Town] and I support the continuation of the national emergency regarding Belarus (Executive Order 13405) to hold the Lukashenka regime accountable for human rights abuses."

30-Minute Deep Dive:

  • Write a Detailed Email: Contact your representatives and senators, expressing support for a strong stance against authoritarianism in Belarus and in favor of continued sanctions.
  • Join an Organization: Groups like Human Rights Watch, the National Endowment for Democracy, and various Belarusian-American organizations advocate for democracy and human rights in Belarus.

TO OPPOSE THIS BILL

5-Minute Actions:

  • Call Your Rep/Senators: Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121. "I'm a constituent from [Your City/Town] and I am concerned about the long-term sanctions on Belarus. I urge [Rep./Sen. Name] to review the impact of these measures on the civilian population."

30-Minute Deep Dive:

  • Write a Letter to the Editor: Submit a letter to your local newspaper questioning the effectiveness of long-term sanctions or highlighting their potential humanitarian consequences.
  • Join an Organization: Some organizations focus on non-interventionist foreign policy or raise concerns about the broad application of economic sanctions. Research groups that align with these views.