“We welcome Gov. Scott’s effective acknowledgement in his signing statement that the legislation is unconstitutional, but the fact remains that he signed the bill anyway, which will only continue the uncertainty and confusion over this fundamental point of law,” said NFTC President Bill Reinsch. “In Crosby v. NFTC in 2000, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that in the case of sanctions, when the federal government has acted, the states are preempted. That case dealt specifically with a prohibition on state procurement, and HB 959 falls clearly within its ambit.”
“In the case of Syria and Cuba, the two countries affected by HB 959, the federal government has imposed sanctions and thus has clearly occupied the field, preempting state action,” said USA*Engage Director Richard Sawaya. “The right thing for Governor Scott to have done was to veto the bill and uphold the Constitution. Instead, having signed the bill, Florida will now be subject to extended debate, and ultimately expensive litigation, over whether and how to enforce it.”
About the NFTC
Advancing Global Commerce for Nearly A Century- The National Foreign Trade Council (www.nftc.org) is a leading business organization advocating an open, rules-based global trading system. Founded in 1914 by a broad-based group of American companies, the NFTC now serves hundreds of member companies through its offices in Washington and New York.
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