Court OKs ruling blocking Fla. Cuba contracts law

Posted on Monday, 05.06.13

Court OKs ruling blocking Fla. Cuba contracts law
The Associated Press

MIAMI -- A federal appeals court agreed Monday on the
unconstitutionality of a Florida law banning companies from bidding on
government contracts if they also do business in Cuba and Syria.

A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a
Miami federal judge's ruling that the law is invalid because it violates
the federal government's sole authority to direct U.S. foreign policy.
The appeals court also found that Coral Gables-based Odebrecht
Construction Inc. would have suffered irreparable harm if the 2012 law
was allowed to stand.

The appeals court judges concluded the law "differs dramatically from
the federal regime as to the entities covered, the actions triggering
sanctions, and the penalties imposed."

Odebrecht is a subsidiary of a Brazilian company that has another unit
doing work in Cuba's port of Mariel. Odebrecht sued to block the law,
contending it would have cost the firm potentially billions of dollars
in government contracts. Since its founding in 1990, Odebrecht has been
awarded 35 public contracts in Florida worth about $4 billion, according
to the appeals court.

Odebrecht issued a statement Monday saying it was "gratified" by the
decision. Odebrecht is a major player in Florida construction projects,
including major work at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International
Airport, the American Airlines Arena that is home to the NBA's Miami
Heat and the Nassau Sound Bridge in Jacksonville.

The law has been controversial from the start. After signing the
legislation, Gov. Rick Scott issued a statement saying that it likely
would not survive a legal challenge unless Congress passed a measure and
the president signed it to allow states to impose their own sanctions on
foreign governments.

The U.S. has for decades had a number of economic sanctions against
Cuba's communist government, which is listed along with Syria as a state
sponsor of terrorism.

It wasn't immediately clear Monday if state officials would appeal further.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/06/3383543/court-oks-ruling-blocking-fla.html