[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 150 (Monday, September 25, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1836]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          CUBAN LIBERTY AND DEMOCRATIC SOLIDARITY ACT OF 1995

                                 ______


                               speech of

                           HON. NANCY PELOSI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 21, 1995

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 927) to seek 
     international sanctions against the Castro government in 
     Cuba, to plan for support of a transition government leading 
     to a democratically elected government in Cuba, and for other 
     purposes:

  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to express my opposition to 
H.R. 927, the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act. I have 
tremendous respect for the leaders on this legislation, especially 
Representatives Ros-Lehtinen, Diaz-Balart, and Menendez. Their 
commitment to promoting democracy around the world is unquestioned. On 
the question of Cuba, however, I respectfully disagree with this 
legislation.
  I oppose H.R. 927 because I believe that the embargo on Cuba and the 
policy of which it is the centerpiece, have failed. The embargo has not 
contributed in any way to increased freedom and democratization in 
Cuba. Rather, it has only made life hard for the Cuban people. Fidel 
Castro is still in power and suffering no consequences from this 
embargo. The people of Cuba, however, suffer daily because of it.
  H.R. 927 tightens the embargo against Cuba--an embargo which has only 
resulted in inadequate access to medicine, to food, to healthcare, to 
education, and to development, for the Cuban people. It has not had an 
impact on Castro. It has not contributed to a more open society. It has 
not opened any doors to freedom.
  The world has changed dramatically in the past few years; 
unfortunately, our foreign policy has not. It is time for us to move 
beyond a failed policy of strangling the Cuban people in the hope of 
strangling Castro's regime. The Cuban people are suffering; we should 
implement a policy which reaches out to them and which fosters their 
support for democratization. The embargo and this legislation take us 
in the wrong direction. We should focus our policy on promoting 
democracy, not on punishing the Cuban people. I urge my colleagues to 
vote ``no'' on H.R. 927.

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