[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 916 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 916

   Honoring Las Damas de Blanco as the recipient of the 2018 Milton 
                 Friedman Prize for Advancing Liberty.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 25, 2018

Mr. Diaz-Balart (for himself, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Sires, Mr. Curbelo 
   of Florida, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Cook, and Ms. Wasserman 
Schultz) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Honoring Las Damas de Blanco as the recipient of the 2018 Milton 
                 Friedman Prize for Advancing Liberty.

Whereas Las Damas de Blanco (also known as the Ladies in White) is a group 
        composed of female relatives of imprisoned political prisoners, 
        prisoners of conscience, and peaceful dissidents in Cuba;
Whereas, in April 2003, during the wave of repression known as the ``Black 
        Spring'', a group of strong and courageous women formed Las Damas de 
        Blanco in response to the wrongful imprisonment of their family members 
        by the regime in Cuba;
Whereas since the inception of the group, the members of Las Damas de Blanco 
        have attended Sunday mass in the Church of Santa Rita in Havana, Cuba, 
        and then marched peacefully through the streets of Havana holding photos 
        of their jailed relatives and white gladioluses;
Whereas members of Las Damas de Blanco regularly march to advocate for the 
        release of all political prisoners and the freedom of the Cuban people;
Whereas members of Las Damas de Blanco are regularly attacked by Cuban regime 
        security forces and prevented from exercising their fundamental rights 
        of the freedoms of expression and assembly;
Whereas according to Amnesty International--

    (1) Las Damas de Blanco ``remain[s] one of the primary targets of 
repression by Cuban [G]overnment authorities''; and

    (2) members of Las Damas de Blanco are frequently detained and ``often 
beaten by law enforcement officials and state security agents dressed as 
civilians'' while in detention;

Whereas according to the Human Rights Watch 2018 World Report, ``detention is 
        often used preemptively to prevent people from participating in peaceful 
        marches or meetings to discuss politics, and detainees are often beaten, 
        threatened, and held incommunicado for hours or days'';
Whereas the Human Rights Watch 2018 World Report noted that ``Cuban Police or 
        state security agents continue to routinely harass, rough up, and detain 
        members of Las Damas de Blanco before or after they attend Sunday 
        mass'';
Whereas, in 2005, Las Damas de Blanco was selected to receive the Sakharov Prize 
        for Freedom of Thought, but the Cuban regime did not allow the members 
        of the group to leave the island to accept the award;
Whereas Laura Ines Pollan Toledo, the founder of Las Damas de Blanco, left an 
        enduring legacy of resilient protest against human and civil rights 
        abuses in Cuba;
Whereas Laura Toledo died on October 14, 2011, and while her death garnered 
        widespread international attention, the Cuban regime remained silent;
Whereas according to Freedom House, in December 2013, Las Damas de Blanco ``took 
        to the streets to demonstrate against human rights abuses on 
        International Human Rights Day, but were detained before the protest 
        could begin'';
Whereas, in February 2015, 30 members of Las Damas de Blanco were arrested in an 
        attempt by Cuban officials to bar the women from participating in the 
        #TodosMarchamos march, which sought to advocate for the freedom of 
        political prisoners in Cuba;
Whereas, on March 20, 2016, a few hours before President Barack Obama visited 
        the communist country, Cuban authorities arrested more than 50 activists 
        protesting the deteriorating state of human rights in Cuba and directly 
        targeted Las Damas de Blanco;
Whereas grave human rights abuses continue under the newly selected dictator, 
        Miguel Diaz-Canel;
Whereas Las Damas de Blanco has appealed to the United States and other foreign 
        governments in order to bring international attention to the repression 
        of dissent by the Cuban regime and the plight of political prisoners, 
        who are routinely jailed unjustly and without due process;
Whereas, on May 17, 2018, Las Damas de Blanco received the prestigious 2018 
        Milton Friedman Prize for Advancing Liberty for their bravery and 
        continued efforts to fight for freedom in Cuba;
Whereas the Milton Friedman Prize for Advancing Liberty acknowledges those who 
        have advocated and contributed to advancing human liberty; and
Whereas Berta de los Angeles Soler Fernandez and Leticia Ramos Herreria, members 
        of Las Damas de Blanco, have been prohibited by the regime in Cuba from 
        leaving the island to accept the 2018 Milton Friedman Prize for 
        Advancing Liberty in the United States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) congratulates Las Damas de Blanco on receiving the 
        prestigious 2018 Milton Friedman Prize for Advancing Liberty;
            (2) honors the members of Las Damas de Blanco for their 
        courageous efforts to stand up to the Cuban regime and defend 
        human rights and fundamental freedoms, such as those expressed 
        in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
            (3) recognizes all of the valiant members of Las Damas de 
        Blanco, including those who died before being able to see a 
        free Cuba;
            (4) expresses solidarity and commitment to the democratic 
        aspirations of the Cuban people; and
            (5) demands that members of Las Damas de Blanco be 
        permitted to leave and return to the island without harassment, 
        intimidation, or hindrance.
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