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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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CONTACT: Jay Purdy |
State Rep. Thomas Blackwell |
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Blackwell joins debate as House considers Sudan divestiture bill
Labels attempts by some Republicans to delay measure ’shamefully ridiculous’
HARRISBURG, July 3 – State Rep. Tommy Blackwell, D-Phila., joined in House debate Monday as a bill advanced that would divest state funds from investments in companies that do business with the Republic of Sudan.
Since February 2003, government-financed militias have terrorized residents of the Darfur region in western Sudan, resulting in as many as 400,000 deaths and more than 2 million refugees. The ongoing crisis has drawn condemnation and economic sanctions from many nations, including the United States.
The legislation (H.B. 1140) would authorize the withholding of Pennsylvania investment dollars from companies that are directly or indirectly helping the Sudanese government perpetuate genocide. Only if a company refuses to change its behavior in response to shareholder engagement would the divestment model call for withdrawing investment from that company.
Blackwell has introduced similar legislation (H.B. 729), but said it doesn’t matter who gets credit for the bill, so long as the divestiture is accomplished.
During the Monday debate, several Republicans attempted to amend or delay the measure.
“The argument that more time is needed to study and authenticate the persecution and genocide is ridiculous,” Blackwell said. “This is something that has been going on since 2003. It has been documented in a thousand different ways. To question whether it happened is as shameful as the Iranian president who questions whether the Holocaust occurred during World War II."
Blackwell noted that his own bill has several Republican co-sponsors.
“It is a relief to know that there are a number across the aisle that recognize the rationality of non-partisan action to assist putting pressure on the Sudanese government in concert with Washington, but there appears to be a core over there that wants to extend the budget impasse to every bill that comes across their desk, no matter how worthy.
“Every minute they play their game, the suffering in Darfur continues.”
It is hoped that final House action on the divestiture bill will occur before the legislature recesses following passage of a new state budget.
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