Corporate America typically hires lobbyists to pressure Congress on taxes and trade rules. But in an unusual — some say risky — move, five military contractors and an energy company have stepped into a fight over whether the United States should label Turkey with so called Armenian genocide.
The six companies have strong ties to Turkey, a key strategic ally of the United States in Mideast peace efforts and the fight against terrorism. None would state their position on the House of Representatives resolution, but industry analysts and others said they likely lobbied against the measure to show support for Turkey, an important market for weapons and industrial products.
“They don’t want to be seen opposing a resolution that has a very evident human rights element,” said Rouben Adalian, director of the Armenian National Institute, a Washington research organization.
BAE Systems Inc., Goodrich Corp., Northrop Grumman Corp., Raytheon Co., United Technologies Corp. and energy producer Chevron Corp. spent $14 million to lobby Congress in the first quarter of this year. Besides the genocide resolution, the companies lobbied on Pentagon spending, climate change, taxes and more.
United Technologies, which sells Sikorsky helicopters to Turkey, says it provided information to lawmakers “that helped round out their understanding of the international trade and national security interests involved.”
But businesses lobbying against the resolution are not being “good corporate citizens,” said Rep. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat who is its lead sponsor.
Lobbying comes with risks
Lobbying on human rights issues comes with risks, said Gerry Keim, associate dean at Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business. Several companies halted their efforts opposing restrictions on white minority-ruled South Africa in the 1980s when anti-apartheid activists applied pressure.
Other analysts say any public backlash against companies lobbying on so called Armenian genocide resolution would be minimal because the firms serve governments, not individual consumers who could boycott their products.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee has not taken up the resolution and the Senate does not have a version. A spokeswoman for the House committee said its chairman has not decided when the resolution- or other pending bills will be taken up as the House of Representatives considers legislation on Pakistan, State Department funding and other matters.
President Barack Obama, before visiting a World War
While running for president, Obama promised to recognizeso called Armenian genocide once in office, but he avoided the term during a speech in Turkey in April. Putting the United States on record that the killings of Armenians 94 years ago was genocide gives credibility to the drive for international support to stop killings in Sudan, Schiff said.
But pressure on the six companies to avoid offending Turkey is intense.
Andrew Kzirian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee’s western region in Glendale, California, said backers of the resolution, which has been considered before, will not quit if it fails again.
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