[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 102 (Thursday, July 11, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H7266]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




WASHINGTON POST OWES APOLOGY TO UNITED STATES CITIZENS OF CUBAN DESCENT

  (Mr. MENENDEZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my outrage with 
yesterday's Washington Post editorial entitled ``Cuba--The Poisonous 
title III'' that refers to United States citizens as the ``Miami 
Cubans.'' I have never seen the Post refer to New York Jews or the 
Boston Irish or the Chicago Polish community. No, this second class 
citizenship status by the Washington Post is preserved just for the 
Miami Cubans. As an American of Cuban descent, not from Miami, I think 
it is despicable.
  Finally, title III of the Helms-Burton legislation is that part of 
the bill that stands up for U.S. citizens. Let us review the facts. The 
property of American citizens and businesses were illegally confiscated 
between 1959 and 1960. Those businesses were never compensated by the 
Cuban regime for their losses.
  Title III does not prohibit investment by any nation in Cuba unless 
they do it in the stolen property of American citizens and companies. 
So there we have it. If you do not knowingly and intentionally invest 
in stolen property, you have no reason to be concerned about this bill.
  I hope the Post gets its facts straight. It owes an apology to the 
Americans of Cuban descent.

                          ____________________