A Citizen’s Guide

The U.S. House passed the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act today, which prohibits the federal government from working with companies that fuel the conflict in Darfur and allows state governments to do the same without worrying about lawsuits.

Under the law, which the President has not yet signed, the federal government “shall not enter into or renew a contract for the procurement of goods or services” with a list of people and companies working in Darfur.

However, “the President may waive the prohibition… on a case-by-case basis if the President determines and certifies in writing to the Congress that it is important to the national security interests of the United States to do so.”

According to Reuters, Bush might not even sign the bill.

One of the companies on the list is Sinopec, the Chinese oil giant looking to build a pipeline for Alaskan natural gas. If the bill is signed into law, I don’t think it wouldn’t kill a Sinopec deal, because the project doesn’t require a federal contract “for the procurement of goods or services.”

The Genocide Intervention Network is using the news of the bill to step up calls for Gov. Sarah Palin to reject Sinopec’s bid outright. That would be a symbolic gesture, because all reports suggest Sinopec doesn’t stand a chance getting administrative backing or legislative approval in the first place.