[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 147 (Wednesday, September 20, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1814]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                            CUBA LIBERTY ACT

                                 ______


                          HON. ELTON GALLEGLY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 20, 1995
  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, for more than 30 years the United States 
has imposed a unilateral economic embargo on the people of Cuba. The 
hope of course was that such international pressure and isolation would 
bring the dictator, Fidel Castro, to his knees.
  Unfortunately, after all this time, Castro still rules the island. 
What is more unfortunate, however, is that the people of Cuba, most no 
longer fervent followers of the revolution, are living in a state of 
political and financial depression.
  Nobody denies that Castro is an old tyrant whose time to give up the 
lost hope of the revolution has come. Cuba is the last country in the 
hemisphere without democracy, free elections and an open economy. But, 
the legislation we are considering here today, will not result in any 
changes in this current situation. It will not bring down Castro any 
faster than the existing embargo has failed to remove him. In fact, 
H.R. 927 will result in the perverse effect of further isolating this 
nation. The attempt in this bill to internationalize the economic 
embargo by threatening economic sanctions against any other nation 
which trades with or invests in Cuba is unworkable and will embroil us 
in heated debates with our allies and friends in this hemisphere and 
beyond.
  This is not to say that we should give up our attempts to rid the 
island of Castro. But the almost paranoid behavior of many in this 
Nation with respect to Castro is no longer justified. Cuba is no 
military threat to the United States. Cuba is no longer a viable model 
for socialism. It is no longer a model for anything or anybody. So why 
the fixation.
  As the recent report of the Inter-American Dialog Task Force on Cuba 
stated, ``the prospects for change in Cuba are today greater than at 
any time since 1959. Yet, current United States policy neither 
encourages change in Cuba nor advances United States national 
interests.''
  Not long ago, during the House debate on whether we should renew 
most-favored-nation trade status with China, Members from both sides of 
the aisle argued passionately that while China's failure to live up to 
normal standards of international behavior was reprehensible, it was 
more important to engage the Chinese through political dialog and 
economic interaction. Without this face-to-face interaction, China's 
behavior could not be modified or changed.
  Similarly, many Members of this Congress supported the President's 
decision to extend diplomatic recognition of Vietnam because they felt 
an open dialog would help us resolve once and for all the issue of our 
POW/MIA's.
  Finally, this Nation has constantly engaged the North Koreans in 
frank and open discussion of their nuclear weapons programs and we have 
even agreed to sell them nuclear power generating equipment.
  My point here is that this Nation has chosen to confront in full 
diplomatic dialog some of the most ruthless communist, civil rights 
abusing dictatorships in the world in the hope that this dialog would 
somehow influence their behavior both domestically and in the 
international arena.
  So, what is wrong with our policy approach to Cuba. Is Cuba any more 
of a threat to us than China or North Korea? Hardly. Is Castro somehow 
more of a dictator than the leadership in Beijing or Hanoi? No.
  So, why shouldn't the United States policy toward Cuba be changed to 
reflect the same approach that we take toward every other communist 
dictator in the world.
  H.R. 927 creates a false sense of hope. It will not topple Castro but 
it will tighten the noose around the already miserable life most 
ordinary Cubans live under.


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