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Executive Order 13660 Expanded

Today President Obama expanded Executive Order 13660 titled “Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation in Ukraine,” and some of the language is interesting enough that I thought it worth passing along. 

I don’t speak lawyer (if any of you do, please chime in), but Section 1 below sure makes it sound like small arms and ammunition coming from the Russian Federation (Russia) will now be blocked. This might be a situation where we have to wait and see how it’s implemented, I don’t know.

The full Executive Order is copied below, emphasis added. You can view the original EO here. Thanks to everyone who emailed me about this.

EXECUTIVE ORDER

– – – – – – –

BLOCKING PROPERTY OF ADDITIONAL PERSONS CONTRIBUTING

TO THE SITUATION IN UKRAINE

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) (NEA), section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (8 U.S.C. 1182(f)), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code,

I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, hereby expand the scope of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13660 of March 6, 2014, finding that the actions and policies of the Government of the Russian Federation with respect to Ukraine — including the recent deployment of Russian Federation military forces in the Crimea region of Ukraine — undermine democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine; threaten its peace, security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; and contribute to the misappropriation of its assets, and thereby constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. Accordingly, I hereby order:

Section 1. (a) All property and interests in property that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of any United States person (including any foreign branch) of the following persons are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in:

(i) the persons listed in the Annex to this order; and

(ii) persons determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State:

(A) to be an official of the Government of the Russian Federation;

(B) to operate in the arms or related materiel sector in the Russian Federation;

(C) to be owned or controlled by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly:

(1) a senior official of the Government of the Russian Federation; or

(2) a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; or

(D) to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of:

(1) a senior official of the Government of the Russian Federation; or

(2) a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order.

(b) The prohibitions in subsection (a) of this section apply except to the extent provided by statutes, or in regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may be issued pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract entered into or any license or permit granted prior to the effective date of this order.

Sec. 2. I hereby find that the unrestricted immigrant and nonimmigrant entry into the United States of aliens determined to meet one or more of the criteria in section 1(a) of this order would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and I hereby suspend entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, of such persons. Such persons shall be treated as persons covered by section 1 of Proclamation 8693 of July 24, 2011 (Suspension of Entry of Aliens Subject to United Nations Security Council Travel Bans and International Emergency Economic Powers Act Sanctions).

Sec. 3. I hereby determine that the making of donations of the type of articles specified in section 203(b)(2) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1702(b)(2)) by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to section 1 of this order would seriously impair my ability to deal with the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13660, and I hereby prohibit such donations as provided by section 1 of this order.

Sec. 4. The prohibitions in section 1 of this order include but are not limited to:

(a) the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; and

(b) the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.

Sec. 5. (a) Any transaction that evades or avoids, has the purpose of evading or avoiding, causes a violation of, or attempts to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited.

(b) Any conspiracy formed to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited.

Sec. 6. For the purposes of this order:

(a) the term “person” means an individual or entity;

(b) the term “entity” means a partnership, association, trust, joint venture, corporation, group, subgroup, or other organization;

(c) the term “United States person” means any United States citizen, permanent resident alien, entity organized under the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States (including foreign branches), or any person in the United States; and

(d) the term the “Government of the Russian Federation” means the Government of the Russian Federation, any political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, including the Central Bank of the Government of the Russian Federation, and any person owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, the Government of the Russian Federation.

Sec. 7. For those persons whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order who might have a constitutional presence in the United States, I find that because of the ability to transfer funds or other assets instantaneously, prior notice to such persons of measures to be taken pursuant to this order would render those measures ineffectual. I therefore determine that for these measures to be effective in addressing the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13660, there need be no prior notice of a listing or determination made pursuant to section 1 of this order.

Sec. 8. The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, is hereby authorized to take such actions, including the promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all powers granted to the President by IEEPA, as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this order. The Secretary of the Treasury may redelegate any of these functions to other officers and agencies of the United States Government consistent with applicable law. All agencies of the United States Government are hereby directed to take all appropriate measures within their authority to carry out the provisions of this order.

Sec. 9. The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, is hereby authorized to determine that circumstances no longer warrant the blocking of the property and interests in property of a person listed in the Annex to this order, and to take necessary action to give effect to that determination.

Sec. 10. This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

Sec. 11. This order is effective at 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on March 17, 2014.

BARACK OBAMA

10 Responses to Executive Order 13660 Expanded

  1. Dave the Dolan Fossil March 17, 2014 at 11:59 am #

    The King has spoken, yet another of the King’s proclamations.

  2. Mike March 17, 2014 at 12:04 pm #

    I think you’re reading it correctly – the property and interests of persons who “operate in the arms or related materiel sector in the Russian Federation” are blocked. That can only mean commie guns and ammo. Glad I run 5.56.

    • TK March 17, 2014 at 12:29 pm #

      I agree with Mike. This isn’t just about the 7 Russian officials that were sanctioned…the language is too broad. This isn’t good…

  3. Mike March 17, 2014 at 1:57 pm #

    Cold war over my…. Notice how it also blocks entry into the country. And the definition of Russian Federation is very broad.

    (d) the term the “Government of the Russian Federation” means the Government of the Russian Federation, any political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, including the Central Bank of the Government of the Russian Federation, and any person owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, the Government of the Russian Federation.

  4. Hillbilly Bob March 17, 2014 at 2:45 pm #

    My buddy runs commie guns only, he won’t be happy if the 762×39 dries up and what is in stock triples in price
    My friend’s meltdown will be hilarious so I may try and record it

    • Mitch March 17, 2014 at 4:29 pm #

      There are still bulgarian, czech, chinese, ukrainian (for now), and the winchester/remington variations of the ammo. The winchester and remington brand come at a hefty premium though. 7.62x54R is arleady drying up out of panic. I cannot confirm nor deny that I purchased a few spam cans when I saw this hit the news feed, luckily my price was regular.

  5. Mike R March 17, 2014 at 7:42 pm #

    Hate to break it to you, but pretty much any ammo, weapons, parts, etc. manufactured in Russia COULD fall under this order (meaning all calibers of wolf, including .223). All depends on whether Sec Treasury designates the particular company.

  6. hardh8 March 19, 2014 at 7:29 pm #

    Thank goodness I don’t own any Ruskie guns. That way I don’t need any Ruskie ammo. Just good old American firearms of me. For the most part. Maybe some Israeli firearms. Maybe some German, In any case

  7. Ken Millard March 25, 2014 at 4:54 pm #

    I sure can’t criticize our president for taking a stand, considering the circumstances. Old Bushes got us into a bunch of stupid wars. I think we ought to send a few hundred thousand AK-47’s to the CITIZENS of the Ukraine, complete with at least 500 rounds, each. I hope readers realize Americans had to be stopped, by legislation, from selling to the Japanese after December 7th. Any American capitalist will only care about what THEY can get out of a deal, or gun. Sadly, some may have to go back to paying Americans to produce their AK’s, and ammo. What a dreadful thought!

    • Brandon March 25, 2014 at 6:17 pm #

      That’s not exactly what I would call “a stand” personally…