Action Update: Divestment in Virginia

On Wednesday, January 24, 2007, Damanga's Executive Director, Mohamed Yahya, traveled to Richmond to testify in front of the State Senate's Finance Committee.  The Finance Committee was to consider Senate Bill 1331, which was introduced by State Senator Ken Cuccinelli (R-37).  Thanks to support from US Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA-10), the Finance Committee postponed the hearing until January 31, in order to give the members more time to review details of the proposal.  Along with Adam Sterling and Kula Koenig of the Sudan Divestment Taskforce, Mr. Yahya spent the rest of the day going to the offices of members of the Virginia House of Delegates' Appropriations Committee, who were to consider a companion bill on the following day.  They were able to secure the support of Delegate Riley Ingram (R-62), among others.  Unfortunately, the House of Delegates bill was tabled on January 25, making the Senate Finance Committee hearing essential to the survival of the bill.

On January 31, Senator Cuccinelli submitted SB1331 for consideration by the Senate Finance Committee. He presented additional witnesses to speak in support of divestment: Adam Sterling, Gary Wood, Mohamed Yahya and Senator Jeannemarie Devolites Davis (R-34), a co-sponsor of the bill. After a brief discussion, the committee decided to refer the bill to the Rules Committee, which met on Monday, February 5.  The rules committee unanimously approved the measure and passed it on the full senate for a floor vote.  On February 6, the measure passed the State Senate by a unanimous vote.

Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, SB1331 did not pass in the Virginia House of Delegates, meaning it will not become law.  Progress was made, however, and it is possible that a similar bill can be introduced again next year... though we will of course hope that such measures will not be necessary at that point.

In addition to supporting divestment efforts in your home state, you can work to pass new federal legislation.  Click here for more information.