UANI Calls on the Pentagon to Debar Honeywell from U.S. Government Contracts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 20, 2010 Contact: Kimmie Lipscomb, press@uani.com Phone: (212) 554-3296 UANI Calls on the Pentagon to Debar Honeywell from U.S. Government Contracts New York, NY - United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) on Tuesday called on the Pentagon and the U.S. Government to debar Honeywell from all U.S. government contracts. Honeywell does more business with the U.S. Government than any other company that is active in Iran. In 2009 alone, Honeywell's contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense totaled $3.45 billion, comprising over 80% of its total contracts with the U.S. Government. UANI President, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace sent letters to Secretary Gates and to the head of the General Services Administration, Martha Johnson calling for the debarment of Honeywell. In a letter to Secretary Gates, UANI President, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace wrote: It is inappropriate for a key U.S. defense contractor to work in Iran and on such strategically important projects. It is inappropriate for U.S. taxpayer dollars to be paid to a company that does such work in Iran. UANI calls on the Defense Department to debar Honeywell from contracting with the Pentagon, unless and until it ends its business in Iran. **** Given the major role of Honeywell's products and services in Iran, it is clear that the IRGC is likely a major beneficiary of Honeywell's business in Iran. Yet Honeywell very comfortably does business in Iran. **** Both the House and Senate recently passed the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act (IRPSA), which seeks to restrict Iran's import of gasoline. Because of Iran's lack of refining capacity, Iran must import much of its gasoline. The U.S. Congress saw this as an opportunity to protect U.S. national security by adopting meaningful sanctions against Iran. Honeywell's work in Iran enhances Iran's ability to refine its own oil, and directly undermines this bipartisan Congressional effort. **** Even given the current economic downturn, Honeywell, a top Fortune 500 company, boasted profits of $2.153 billion in 2009. Honeywell's CEO, David M. Cote, was rated as one of the ten highest compensated CEOs by CNN, with a total compensation package valued at $28.7 million. In February of this year, President Obama appointed Mr. Cote to the Bipartisan Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. However, companies like Honeywell that rely on U.S. taxpayer dollars have a responsibility to conduct themselves in a manner that is consistent with U.S. national security. By doing business in Iran, Honeywell has failed in that responsibility. Why should taxpayers contribute to Mr. Cote's salary when it is clear that President Ahmadinejad's IRGC thugs contribute to Mr. Cote's salary as well? The answer is clear. **** As Secretary of Defense, you understand the dangers posed by a nuclear Iran. You have been outspoken on the importance of adopting a strategy for dealing with Iran. As part of any such strategy, the Defense Department should not contract with companies that work in Iran. Honeywell should be debarred from U.S. government work, and that debarment should start with Honeywell's work with the Department of Defense. Click here to read the full text of the letter to Secretary Gates. Click here to read the full text of the letter to Administrator Johnson. Click here to send a message to Honeywell. # # # United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) is a program of the American Coalition Against Nuclear Iran, Inc., a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran should concern every American and be unacceptable to the community of nations. Since 1979 the Iranian regime, most recently under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's leadership, has demonstrated increasingly threatening behavior and rhetoric toward the US and the West. Iran continues to defy the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the United Nations in their attempts to monitor its nuclear activities. A number of Arab states have warned that Iran's development of nuclear weapons poses a threat to Middle East stability and could provoke a regional nuclear arms race. In short, the prospect of a nuclear armed Iran is a danger to world peace. United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) is a non-partisan, broad-based coalition that is united in a commitment to prevent Iran from fulfilling its ambition to become a regional super-power possessing nuclear weapons. UANI is an issue-based coalition in which each coalition member will have its own interests as well as the collective goal of advancing an Iran free of nuclear weapons. The Objectives of United Against a Nuclear Iran Inform the public about the nature of the Iranian regime, including its desire and intent to possess nuclear weapons, as well as Iran's role as a state sponsor of global terrorism, and a major violator of human rights at home and abroad; Heighten awareness nationally and internationally about the danger that a nuclear armed Iran poses to the region and the world; Mobilize public support, utilize media outreach, and persuade our elected leaders to voice a robust and united American opposition to a nuclear Iran; Lay the groundwork for effective US policies in coordination with European and other allies; Persuade the regime in Tehran to desist from its quest for nuclear weapons, while striving not to punish the Iranian people, and; Promote efforts that focus on vigorous national and international, social, economic, political and diplomatic measures. UANI is led by an advisory board of outstanding national figures representing all sectors of our country.

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