Our own Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler voted in favor of secrecy for the oil industry on Feb. 1, the same day that Rex Tillerson, Exxon lifer, became our secretary of state. Trump signed it into law on Feb. 14. The new rule allows large, publicly traded companies from the oil, gas, and mineral extraction industry to make secret payments to foreign governments.
Did Herrera Beutler vote this way to protect her constituents? To bring jobs back to the U.S.? Because I don’t see how this vote does anything but profit a wealthy industry at the expense of others.
This bipartisan rule which H.J. Res. 41 struck down did not apply only to U.S. companies but any company that files with the Securities and Exchange Commission (such as foreign companies on the NYSE). Since other nations, such as Canada and those of the EU, have enacted and enforced this rule, it also applies to any company traded on the London Stock Exchange (think Russia). Our congresswoman should not legalize corruption.
