109 HCON 428 IH: Expressing the sense of Congress in support U.S. House of Representatives 2006-06-13 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 109th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 428 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 13, 2006 Mr. McCotter (for himself, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart of Florida, Mr. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mr. Engel, Mr. Mack, Mr. Flake, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mr. Rohrabacher, Mr. Chabot, Mr. Royce, Mr. Wexler, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Pence, Mr. Gallegly, and Mr. Foley) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress in support of United States diplomatic personnel stationed at the United States Interests Section in Havana, Cuba.

Whereas the Cuban regime has continued to repress attempts by the Cuban people to bring democratic change to the island and denies universally recognized liberties, including freedom of speech, association, movement, and the press; Whereas, on May 20, 2005, in celebration of the 103d anniversary of Cuba’s independence, President George W. Bush sent his greetings to the Cuban people in which he stated that we look forward to the day when Cuba is free and my Administration supports efforts to hasten that day’s coming. The tide of freedom is spreading across the globe, and it will reach Cuban shores. No tyrant can stand forever against the power of liberty because the hope of freedom is found in every heart.; Whereas one of the central goals and objectives of the United States Interests Section in Havana, Cuba, is to promote a peaceful transition to a democratic system based on respect for rule of law, individual human rights, and open economic and communication systems.; Whereas, in December 2005, the United States Interests Section proudly displayed a Christmas ornament listing the names of some of the opposition activists jailed by the Cuban regime; Whereas, beginning on January 16, 2006, the United States Interests Section activated a five foot tall streaming electronic billboard to communicate messages of hope and information to the Cuban people; Whereas the billboard displayed messages containing quotes from Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., Lech Walesa, and Mahatma Gandhi; Whereas as a result of such efforts in support of the Cuban people’s desire for information, democracy, and respect for human rights, United States diplomats and their families at the United States Interests Section have been targeted for reprisal and harassment by the Cuban regime; Whereas according to a declassified internal Department of State document, United States diplomats and their families in Cuba are denied rest or relaxation by house alarms triggered in the middle of the night … phones that ring at all hours, and by cellphones that ring every half hour for no apparent reason.; Whereas according to this document, regime agents search and wiretap the Havana residences of United States diplomats and their families in Cuba, including tapping into their home computers, leaving open doors and windows behind, and leaving not-so-subtle messages … including unwelcome calling cards like urine and feces; Whereas the Department of State report also pointed out that In one example that demonstrates how regime officials actually listen to the daily activities of the [United States diplomatic] staff, presumably through electronic bugs, shortly after one family discussed the susceptibility of their daughter to mosquito bites, they returned home to find all of their windows open and the house full of mosquitoes.; Whereas, from February 22 to March 26, 2006, the municipal supply of water to the main building of the United States Interests Section was turned off and water supply to an annex building has literally been at a trickle for most of this year; Whereas, on June 5, 2006, at approximately 3 a.m., electricity to the main building of the United States Interests Section was cut off by the Cuban regime; Whereas, on June 12, 2006, the United States Interests Section issued a statement that outlined the Cuban regime’s increasing resort to bullying tactics in dealing with United States diplomatic personnel, including the refusal to allow United States diplomats to import vehicles, intrusions into diplomats’ homes, and failure to grant the majority of official United States Government visa requests for personnel being assigned to work at the United States Interests Section; Whereas despite the lack of water and electricity, work at the United States Interests Section continues uninterrupted, including the interviewing of visa and political asylum candidates, and direct outreach to the Cuban people; Whereas the diplomatic staff of the United States Interests Section, led by Chief of Mission Michael Parmly, has acted in a manner deserving of the admiration and praise of the American people; and Whereas the United States Interests Section is at the forefront of expressing support for democracy and freedom for the people of Cuba: Now, therefore, be it

That Congress— (1)praises the United States diplomatic staff of the United States Interests Section in Havana, Cuba, for their actions in support of freedom for the Cuban people; (2)condemns the systematic harassment and attempts at intimidation committed by the Cuban regime against United States diplomatic personnel stationed at the United States Interests Section; (3)condemns the Cuban regime’s 47 years of brutality and oppression against the Cuban people; and (4)supports the right of the Cuban people to exercise fundamental political and civil liberties, including freedom of expression, assembly, association, movement, the press, and the right to multiparty elections.