US lawmakers seek to end French company's contract

Reuters | 3/28/03 | Susan Cornwell

[kattracks]

US lawmakers seek to end French company's contract

By Susan Cornwell

WASHINGTON, March 28 (Reuters) - No matter whether it's french toast or french fries they're serving to the Marines, a group of U.S. lawmakers want caterer Sodexho Inc. to stop it -- because its parent company is French.

Angry at France's refusal to support the war on Iraq, the lawmakers are urging the military to cancel a contract with Sodexho Inc., the North American unit of France's Sodexho Alliance (EXHO.PA).

But one lawmaker, whose Maryland district contains Sodexho Inc.'s headquarters, has launched a counterattack, noting the company employs Americans in every U.S. state.

Rep. Jack Kingston, a Georgia Republican, has collected some 60 lawmakers' signatures against Sodexho so far and plans to send the petition later on Friday to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, a Kingston spokeswoman said.

"My colleagues and I abhor the idea of continuing to pour American dollars into a French-based firm when those dollars could be feeding our wartime economy," says the petition.

Terminating Sodexho Inc.'s $881 million contract to supply 55 Marine mess halls across the United States would "send a tangible signal to the French government that there are economic consequences associated with their international policies," Kingston wrote.

But his effort has launched a war of words with Maryland Democrat Rep. Chris Van Hollen who has sent Rumsfeld his own letter that notes that the people working for Sodexho in those Marine mess halls are Americans.

"Sodexho provides 110,000 American jobs, employing people in all 50 states and paying $646 million in taxes," said Van Hollen's letter. Also, he said, Sodexho Inc. lost employees at New York's World Trade Center in the Sept. 11 attacks, and participated in the recovery efforts there by catering for rescue workers.

Sodexho Inc. spokeswoman Leslie Aun said the controversy was unfortunate. "The Marines have a lot on their plate right now," she said. "We want to keep putting food on their plate." She said the company, headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, had also catered for U.S. soldiers in the 1991 Gulf War and in Bosnia.

Kingston's effort reflects indignation among some U.S. policymakers at the French for helping to confound U.S. attempts to get the United Nations Security Council to authorize military force against Iraq.

Earlier this month, lawmakers in the House of Representatives changed "french fries" and "french toast" to "freedom fries" and "freedom toast" on House menus. Since then, "freedom toast" has also been served on the president's plane, Air Force One.

03/28/03 15:11 ET

[Paraclete]

All those Americans will still be employed. They will just be employed by another company. We'll still need to feed the Marines.

[Conspiracy Guy]

I know a lot of people who have Freedom Poodles. I have a Lab.

[attydjv]

Instead of boycotting French stuff, at this point maybe we should take PROACTIVE measures against them, i.e.

make them bathe

make them use birth control

make their women clean our houses in stockings and heels...

[Mister Baredog]

Angry at France's refusal to support the war on Iraq, the lawmakers are urging the military to cancel a contract with Sodexho Inc., the North American unit of France's Sodexho Alliance (EXHO.PA).

I'm sure Chirac doesn't mind, he's really after being the new source for the Arab world. After all France will soon become Europe's first Islamic state.

[Kudsman]

bttt

[44magnum]

For your enjoyment.....a note I e-mailed today to the French Embassy.....

After all the United States has done for your country over the last 100 years, it baffles my mind trying to understand your lack of support for us in this war against an evil regime. Your government alleged that there was no evidence that Iraq possessed WMD. Ok, fine....but after seeing how Iraq has tortured and executed our POW's, killed its own people who refuse to fight, staged "explosions" in markets just to blame the US, one would think that if France is a nation committed to the rule of law, they would support and join the coalition. My family lost two men on the beaches of Normandy and another in central France during WWII to liberate your country from Nazi tyranny. I am sorry that our family had to give so much for a country too cowardly to support us in our time of need. I feel very sorry for all the American families who have loved ones resting eternally in a country that has turned its back on the fight for freedom for which they fought and died. They gave their lives for freedom and human dignity. At this point France deserves neither. I went through my house and destroyed every product I could find that was made in France or by French-owned companies. I took a bottle of Dom Perignon to my local firing range and excercised my God-given right under the US Constitution to keep and bear arms, and properly disposed of it. I cancelled a flight on Air France and rebooked on an American airline event though the ticket was more expensive. I will never purchase anything made in France or by the French for as long as I live, however if I ever need a white flag, I'll make an exception since they are obviously in good supply in France. I'm sure that many other Americans who feel the same way I do are acting in a similar manner. I'm sure that France won't miss our business though...you'll just make up for the lost trade by dealing with other criminal regimes as I'm sure we'll be able to verify when the dust settles in Iraq.

[JohnnyZ]

Hey Van Hollen, you beat a Republican incumbent (well, kind of Republican), now you're screwed so quit crying you little baby! We don't care about your damn district.

JACK KINGSTON, get your butt into the Senate NOW!!!

[SolutionsOnly]

reagrding those 'lost' American jobs...

The need for the service still remains, the jobs will still be there - it's just that the profits won't go to France!
!

[putupon]

make their women clean our houses in stockings and heels...

With shaved legs please. All those hairs sticking between the fish net style of those Freedom Maid Hose kind on makes me gag.

[Hop A Long Cassidy]

I switched from Chilean wine to Australian. Australia makes great wines.

I think everyone's economy is going to be much less global after this is over.

What's interesting to me is that the biggest complainers against the U.S. seem to have the weakest defense. Particularly interesting was the link on Belgium's army, composed nearly all of near-retirement bandplayers. Seems their defense became a dumping ground for "guaranteed employement." No wonder American NATO people were complaining about Europe's readiness. The weak cower.

Hoppy

[buffyt]

Let's see my great grandfather came from France. My great great great etc etc etc great grandfather came from England in the 1600s... I think I will claim the Englishman and deny the Frenchman! Also part German Scottish Irish Dutch Cherokee and Black..... I am a walking WWII inside....

[buffyt]

When picking out wines last weekend at Whole Foods market in Houston, and they have wines from all over the world, I bought excellent MESSINA HOFF wines made here in Texas. I didn't buy anything French or German!

[Wormwood]

I'm sure Chirac doesn't mind, he's really after being the new source for the Arab world. After all France will soon become Europe's first Islamic state.

Fine with me. We can put them right after Syria.

[buffyt]

After all France will soon become Europe's first Islamic state.

How will the French like no wine and no illicit sex???? That is going to be a HUGE difference!

[truth_seeker]

"Let's see my great grandfather came from France. My great great great etc etc etc great grandfather came from England in the 1600s... I think I will claim the Englishman and deny the Frenchman! Also part German Scottish Irish Dutch Cherokee and Black..... I am a walking WWII inside...."

You must share my genealogy hobby.

Until now, I have had an unsolved family-line, as to the origin. It could have been French protestants, or they could have been from Spain, further back. (Or both)

I have now settled on the Spanish origin story. Plus, it is my only and best claim of some kind of designated minority status, however tiny the fraction.

(The bonus is that they could have been Sephardic Jews, from near Barcelona-another minority-Hispanic Jews).

The family immigrated from the Channel Island of Jersey, to Maine in 1671, and anglicized the surname (Ricker). Descendants continue to present however, using a Spanish first name (Maturin).

Most living descendants think (incorrectly) their origin is English or German, owing only to the anglicized surname.