Call Your State Legislators:

Urge Them To Support Protecting Florida's Investments Act
Votes Expected this Week on Legislation to Divest State Funds from Companies Supporting Rogue Regimes in Iran and Sudan
April 27, 2007

Dear Patriot:

The Protecting Florida's Investments Act introduced in the State Senate by Senator Ted Deutch (D-Boca Raton), with leadership from Senators Jeff Atwater (R-North Palm Beach) and Don Gaetz (R-Fort Walton Beach), and sponsored in the House by Representatives Ari Porth (D-Coral Springs) and Adam Hasner (R-Delray Beach), will require the State Board of Administration to review the public pension system and remove any investments in companies doing business in Iran's petroleum-energy sector or with the government of Sudan.
 
Iran continues to develop its nuclear program in defiance of the United Nations Security Council's demands to halt uranium enrichment, while Sudan maintains an organized campaign of genocide against the people of Darfur. Divesting from companies doing business with these two regimes will deprive them of the desperately-needed foreign capital that fuels their illicit activities.

ACTION
 
Please call Florida State Senators and Representatives at their Tallahassee offices and ask them to support the Protecting Florida's Investments Act (SB 2142 in the Senate and CS/HB 703 in the House).  Look up your state officials  and their contact information at this link. http://capwiz.com/constitutioncenter/dbq/officials/  

KEY PROVISIONS OF THE BILL
The Protecting Florida's Investments Act:

• Requires Florida's public pension funds to review their holdings in companies invested in Iran's energy sector or in companies with business ties to the government of Sudan.
• Mandates pension funds divest their direct holdings from companies invested in Iran's energy sector or in companies with business ties to the government of Sudan.
• Calls on the pension fund managers to review their holdings in mutual funds, index funds, or other commingled investments, and identify ways to create alternative funds without holdings in these companies.
• Requires a quarterly report of all state pension holdings and actions taken to be submitted to the state legislature to ensure the full implementation of the legislation.

TALKING POINTS
Time to Act

• Iran has accelerated its nuclear development program in defiance of mandatory United Nations Security Council resolutions.  When combined with its support for international terrorism, Iran's nuclear program poses an imminent threat to global security.
• A nuclear-armed Iran would pose unacceptable threats to the United States and its allies. An Iran armed with nuclear weapons could: use them in conjunction with its growing arsenal of missiles to threaten US allies and interests in the Middle East; share its nuclear technology with other rogue regimes; embolden Iran's support of extremist groups in the Middle East and elsewhere; touch off a regional nuclear-arms race among other Mideast nations.
• Simultaneously, the people of Darfur continue to face the organized campaign of genocide being carried out by the Sudanese government and its allies.  Sudan has rejected the efforts of the United Nations, the United States and several African nations to stop the bloodshed.
• Floridians can ensure that our state's financial holdings are not invested in companies that provide critically-needed capital for these two outlaw states.

Investments in Sudan and Iran Pose a Financial Risk to Florida

• The SEC has determined there is a special risk associated with investments in terror-sponsoring states such as Iran and Sudan.  Under U.S. law, companies that have invested more than $20 million in Iran's petroleum-energy sector are liable to sanctions.  Additionally, economic sanctions, embargos and loan restrictions imposed by the UN Security Council further increase the financial risk associated with such investments. 
• As citizens of Florida, we are deeply concerned that the state's holdings in companies with investments in Iran's petroleum-energy sector and business ties to the government of Sudan pose a financial risk to the shareholders.  It is both morally wrong and financially irresponsible for the state to invest funds in these companies.
• Protecting Florida's Investments Act will safeguard Floridians from such risky investments.