Senators to Introduce Legislation Banning Electronics Sales to Iran

Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) announced last Friday they will introduce legislation that would prohibit government contracts with any company selling technology to the Iranian regime which helps it monitor its citizens. 

Schumer and Graham will introduce the legislation sometime this week.

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the Iranian government bought technology from Nokia Siemens Network, a joint venture of Nokia and Siemens, which enables them to monitor phone calls and internet activity. 

“It is utterly outrageous that Western companies sell equipment that allows the Iranian government to spy on their citizens, prevent communications between citizens and thwart any type of uprising against the regime,” Schumer said in a press release. “This legislation is going to crack down on these companies so that we can do our part in preventing this regime from controlling the Iranian people.”

“Our proposal and legislation would weaken the Iranian regime’s ability to control the Internet,” Graham said. “The Internet has proven to be one of the strongest weapons in the hands of the Iranian people seeking freedom and trying to chart a new destiny for their country. Companies that provide technology to the Iranian regime to control the Internet must be forced to pay a heavy price. Our legislation is a constructive proposal that empowers the people of Iran and weakens the regime.” 

Senators Schumer and Graham sent a letter to Secretary of State Hilary Clinton calling on her to “urge the European Union to restrict the sale of equipment and services to Iran that could be used to monitor, control, and suppress the private communications and free expression of the Iranian people.” 

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California Legislation Would Create Product Stewardship

California creates 40 million tons of waste a year. The California Product Stewardship Act or AB 283, introduced by CA Assembly member Wesley Chesbro (D-Arcata), addresses the state's waste problem. The Act would aim to reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions. It would create the Extended Producer Responsibility Framework Program (EPRFP) which would provide incentives to producers to create products and packages that are more environmentally friendly.

According to the proposed bill, the EPRFP would encourage producers to "research alternatives during the product design and packaging phases to foster cradle-to-cradle producer responsibility and reduce the end-of-life environmental impacts."

"AB 283 moves California toward a more sustainable environment and economy," said Chesbro. "Product stewardship will reduce government spending and greenhouse gases, while creating jobs that are desperately needed in our state. This bill will help move California out of its budget crisis and into a ‘cradle to cradle' state that takes
care of its own."

"CPSC and NWPSC have developed Framework Principles that address many products at once, rather than the product-by-product legislation that is slow and costly," said Kevin Hendrick, director of the Del Norte Solid Waste Management Authority. "Framework legislation will streamline the process to include other products over time."

"EPR policies are working in Canada, Europe, Japan, and other countries," said Heidi Sanborn, executive director of CPSC. "The primary responsibility should rest with producers because only they make design and packaging decisions. It is far less expensive to design a product and packaging to reduce waste than it is to create expensive end-of-life disposal and recycling systems."