Jewish Community Praises the Governor and Massachusetts Legislature for Passing Iran Divestment Bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 4, 2010

Contact:
Ari Alexenberg
617-457-8657

(Boston, August 4)—The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston issued the following statement today:

Today Governor Deval Patrick signed into law a bill to divest the state's pension funds from companies doing business with Iran. The measure instructs the Pension Reserves Investment Management (PRIM) Board to divest public investments from approximately 20 companies doing significant business with Iran's energy sector. 

JCRC praises Governor Patrick and the Massachusetts Legislature for their decisive action on this important issue. The overwhelming bipartisan support for this legislation sends a message that the Commonwealth will support all peaceful steps to avoid nuclear proliferation in the Middle East and will protect the Massachusetts pension fund against dangerous investments in an unstable region.

JCRC Executive Director Nancy Kaufman said, "A nuclear Iran is a threat to the stability of the Middle East and peace-seeking democracies throughout the world."

"We thank Governor Patrick, Senate President Murray, Speaker DeLeo and the members of the legislature, for divesting the Commonwealth's pension funds from companies doing business with Iran, thereby sending a clear message that our investments will not further Iran's nuclear ambitions," said Kaufman. "We are also grateful to Congressman Barney Frank for his active and passionate role in shepherding this bill through the legislative process, and to his colleagues in the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation for their unanimous support." 

JCRC praises co-sponsors Representative Antonio Cabral (New Bedford) and Senator Joan Menard (Fall River) for their tireless advocacy in support of this bill.

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