[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 760 Engrossed in House (EH)]

<DOC>
H. Res. 760

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                      November 3, 2021.
Whereas, on July 11, 2021, thousands of Cubans took to the streets to express 
        their dissatisfaction with Cuba's continued repression of its people, 
        its worsening economic situation, and shortages of food and medicine;
Whereas these demonstrations were the largest protests on the island in over 25 
        years, with courageous Cuban men, women, and youth taking to the streets 
        in cities and towns across the country;
Whereas the Cuban regime arbitrarily denied a request to allow a peaceful 
        demonstration on November 15, 2021, which the organizers have specified 
        would be ``against violence, to demand that all the rights of all Cubans 
        be respected, for the release of political prisoners and for the 
        solution of our differences through democratic and peaceful means'';
Whereas the Cuban regime also denied an earlier request for protests to be held 
        on November 20, 2021, stating that date was off-limits because it would 
        conflict with ``national defense day'' and claiming without evidence 
        that ``subversive organizations'' with links to the United States 
        Government were promoting the protest;
Whereas artists, academics, activists, and journalists have been long engaged in 
        ongoing protests calling for an end to Cuba's persecution, censorship, 
        arbitrary detention, and other human rights violations;
Whereas expanded internet access is foundational for the Cuban people to be able 
        to exercise their internationally recognized human rights of access to 
        information and freedom of expression, creating opportunities for Cubans 
        to communicate more openly with one another and for their voices to be 
        heard around the world;
Whereas numerous public reports and first-hand accounts revealed that the Cuban 
        regime deliberately blocked access to certain websites and messaging 
        apps, throttled internet access, and launched targeted attacks to 
        disrupt the internet connections of private Cuban citizens;
Whereas during the July protests, regime security officials physically assaulted 
        domestic and international journalists, including Associated Press 
        correspondent Ramon Espinosa, and prevented dozens of reporters from 
        leaving their homes to report on the protests, according to the 
        Committee to Protect Journalists;
Whereas Cuba is among the most restrictive countries in the world for 
        journalists, ranked 171 of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders' 
        2021 World Press Freedom Index;
Whereas Cuban human rights groups report there were already at least 150 
        political prisoners in Cuba before the July 11 protests, and Cuba has 
        reportedly been responsible for over 400 additional arrests or forced 
        disappearances since then;
Whereas hundreds of Cubans who participated in the July protests continue to 
        face unjust detention and other forms of retribution, including dozens 
        who have been sentenced in summary trials without due process and dozens 
        of others who remain unaccounted for;
Whereas United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet 
        expressed concern about ``the excessive force against demonstrators in 
        Cuba and the arrest of a large number of people, including journalists'' 
        and noted ``it is particularly worrying that these include individuals 
        allegedly held incommunicado and people whose whereabouts are unknown'';
Whereas, on July 25, 2021, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the foreign 
        ministers of 20 countries issued a statement to ``condemn the mass 
        arrests and detentions of protestors in Cuba and call on the government 
        to respect the universal rights and freedoms of the Cuban people, 
        including the free flow of information to all Cubans'';
Whereas, on October 17, 2021, Assistant Secretary of State for Western 
        Hemisphere Affairs Brian A. Nichols said ``Denying the right of peaceful 
        assembly to Cubans this November 15th shows the Cuban regime's disregard 
        for the human rights and freedoms of its people. This and other blatant 
        attempts to intimidate their citizens is a clear sign the regime won't 
        listen to what Cubans have to say.'';
Whereas over the summer, Cuba has seen record numbers of COVID-19 infections and 
        deaths, pushing hospitals and health centers to near collapse; and
Whereas basic medicines and common goods have become scarce throughout the 
        country and economists estimate Cuba's economic conditions will become 
        even worse in the coming months: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses strong solidarity with the Cuban people who took to 
        the streets throughout the country on July 11, 2021, and with those who 
        plan to peacefully demonstrate on November 15, 2021, to once again 
        express their desire to live in a free country with self-determination;
            (2) condemns the Cuban regime's violent repression of peaceful 
        protesters and journalists and its other efforts to restrict the Cuban 
        people's right to peacefully protest, freely express themselves, and 
        exercise their other universal human rights;
            (3) calls on Cuba to end all efforts to block or throttle the Cuban 
        people's internet access or restrict their access to certain websites or 
        applications and to permit them to freely communicate online, including 
        during future demonstrations and peaceful protests;
            (4) calls on members of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces, the 
        Cuban Ministry of the Interior, and Cuba's National Revolutionary Police 
        Force to not arrest or detain peaceful protesters, provide due process 
        to all individuals, and immediately release all political prisoners and 
        arbitrarily detained individuals still in their custody; and
            (5) urges the Biden administration to--
                    (A) work with Cuban activists, civil society groups, private 
                United States companies, and the international community to 
                expand internet access for the Cuban people;
                    (B) support the Cuban people's inherent right to demonstrate 
                peacefully in the name of democracy and human rights;
                    (C) continue to stand behind the aspirations of the Cuban 
                people for freedom, for dignity, for prosperity, and the basic 
                rights that they have been denied by the regime since 1959;
                    (D) assess whether the United States can develop methods to 
                allow remittances, medical supplies, and other forms of support 
                from the United States to directly benefit the Cuban people in 
                ways that alleviate humanitarian suffering without providing 
                United States dollars to the Cuban military; and
                    (E) rally the international community to join the United 
                States in condemning human rights abuses and honoring the Cuban 
                people's demands for freedom.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.