[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 157 (Wednesday, October 11, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S14993-S14994]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             CLOTURE MOTION

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The cloture motion having been presented under 
rule XXII, the Chair directs the clerk to read the motion.
  The bill clerk read as follows:
  
[[Page S 14994]]



                             Cloture motion

       We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the 
     provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, 
     do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the substitute 
     amendment to Calendar No. 202, H.R. 927, an act to seek 
     international sanctions against the Castro government.

         Bob Dole, Jesse Helms, Bob Smith, Bill Frist, John 
           Ashcroft, Jim Inhofe, Paul D. Coverdell, Spencer 
           Abraham, Larry E. Craig, Trent Lott, Rod Grams, Frank 
           H. Murkowski, Fred Thompson, Mike DeWine, Hank Brown, 
           Chuck Grassley.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I will just say a word and then turn it over 
to the distinguished Senator of the committee, Senator Helms. Senator 
Pell is here, Senator Dodd is here, and they will continue the debate.
  I want to say just as I leave--not leave, but leave the floor, that 
is, not leave the Senate--I am not certain what the administration 
policy is toward Cuba. President Clinton says he wants to tighten the 
embargo on Castro's Cuba, and then the White House issues veto threats 
on the legislation which toughens sanctions. President Clinton says he 
wants to increase pressure on Castro, and then he cuts a secret deal 
with him and changes the U.S. embargo and allows more money to flow to 
Castro.
  But whatever the administration's policy is, the Senate will have a 
chance to speak on this legislation. We will have to speak for the 
Cuban people who have been muzzled so long by Castro's tyranny.
  The choice in this legislation is simple: Do you want to increase 
pressure on the last dictatorship in the hemisphere, or let Castro off 
the hook.
  Many in the United States actually want to end the embargo, and in 
the coming debate, they will argue about property rights, legal 
interpretations, free trade, about many things. But let there be no 
mistake, passing this bill is about supporting democratic change in 
Cuba and sending Fidel Castro the way of all other dictators of Latin 
America.
  Let me also indicate that they have had a very good debate on the 
House floor on this similar bill, the Burton bill, the Burton-
Torricelli bill on the House side. Sixty-seven Democrats had strong 
bipartisan support on the measure. It passed with strong bipartisan 
support. I know we have bipartisan support here. I hope we will have 
enough support that we can obtain the 60 votes on cloture, pass this 
bill, go on to conference and send it to the President. I also hope 
that we do not grant a visa, of course, to Castro to visit the United 
Nations any time in the future. I assume that may be in the works.
  This is an important bill, an important debate. It is about the last 
dictator in this hemisphere. I hope that we will tighten sanctions, 
which is precisely what the bill sponsored by Senator Helms, myself, 
and others does. There are a number of cosponsors, as the Record will 
reflect, Republicans and Democrats alike, cosponsoring this bill.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I indicate to my colleagues that there will 
be no more votes today. There is an agreement that there will be no 
amendments offered today. There will be lengthy discussions on both 
sides, as I understand it. So there will not be any votes. I give my 
colleagues advance notice of that.
  Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I may be 
recognized for 1 minute as in morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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