GOP Crushes Bid to Close Terrorist Loophole
Listed in: Other Domestic Policy, NJDC News, Press Releases
Washington, DC: According to Congress Daily, "By a vote of 50-49, Senate Republicans narrowly defeated a bid [May 19th] by Senator Frank Lautenberg, D-NJ, to close a loophole" that allows American corporations to transact business with terrorist nations by creating foreign subsidiaries, or "shell companies." Congress Daily's report added, "Lautenberg's amendment to the FY05 Defense Department authorization bill would have been particularly embarrassing for the Bush administration, Senate aides said, since Halliburton -- the company once headed by Vice President Cheney -- is one of only a handful of companies currently enjoying the benefits of the loophole. GOP leaders, including Majority Whip McConnell, aggressively lobbied members of the Republican Conference -- most notably Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine -- to vote against the amendment."
In a statement after the party-line vote, Senator Lautenberg said, "The Republican leaders decided to kill legislation that would have taken money out of the hands of terrorists; plain and simple."
National Jewish Democratic Council Executive Director Ira N. Forman commented, "It is mind-boggling -- in the midst of America's war on terror -- that the Republican leadership would direct the effort to defeat a measure to cut-off funding to terrorist countries, apparently for reasons of politics and business interests. Even if it means ending sweetheart loopholes for a handful of companies like Halliburton, U.S. corporate funding of rogue terrorist nations must end. Whether these companies are close to the Bush administration or not, they cannot be permitted to circumvent the intent of U.S. law in this way," Forman added.
Senator Lautenberg also noted in his statement, "I don't imagine too many families who lost loved ones on 9-11 or in Iraq would understand why the Republicans want U.S. companies to do business with countries that fund and support terrorists bent on killing Americans."
