[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 63 (Thursday, May 16, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4454-S4455]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   COMMENDING PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER

  Mr. DODD. Secondly, Mr. President, I commend President Carter for his 
work this week. I have been so impressed with the efforts that 
President Carter has made in Cuba during the past 4 or 5 days. I think 
he has spoken for many of us in this country during his visit to Cuba.
  While in Cuba, President Carter addressed the Cuban people on 
national radio and television--a unique opportunity in a country that 
is a totalitarian regime where democracy has had no expression now for 
more than four decades.
  In having been granted permission to address the Cuban people, 
President Carter was given a right that no Cuban other than the 
President of the country, and those who agree with him, has been 
given--the opportunity to speak freely about democratic values, values 
that we embrace as a people and the 11 million people of Cuba embrace 
as well.
  In his address, President Carter urged the government of Cuba to 
allow democracy to be restored, and asked that pro-democracy petitions 
be allowed to be collected, and respected.
  He simultaneously called for the U.S. government to allow free travel 
to Cuba and stated his belief that our government should begin to lift 
our embargo. I commend him for those comments.
  The only place I know of in the world that we prohibit our citizens 
from traveling to is the island of Cuba. You can go to Iraq. You can go 
to North Korea. You can go to Iran. You can go to any other country 
around the globe, some of which are our most devout enemies when it 
comes to terrorism. You may be stopped from entering by the governments 
of those countries, but our Government does not prohibit you from 
going. Cuba is the only country where Americans are prohibited from 
entering by our country.
  And for the hundreds of thousands of Cuban Americans who have family 
and loved ones there, who are only allowed to go back once a year, who 
would like to go and see their family members more than once a year, 
perhaps to go see an ailing parent or grandparent, I find this to be a 
particularly onerous provision in American law. I hope it will be 
changed, just as I am hopeful that change will come to Cuba and 
democracy will arrive on that island so the people will have the 
opportunity to elect and choose their political leadership.
  In summary, President Carter, by calling upon the Cuban Government to 
change its ways and our own Government to change some policies, I think 
gave the appropriate message; one that can be appreciated not only 
here, but on the island of Cuba by the Cuban people and freedom-loving 
people around the globe.
  So today, I take this moment to express my gratitude to this former 
President who, in his retirement, has accomplished so many wonderful 
things and become such a wonderful symbol for human rights and dignity 
and democracy around the globe.
  I am proud to stand here and honor two former Presidents who faced 
each other in an election 1980, but in their own way have made unique 
contributions to our Nation. President Carter continues to do so. I 
commend him for his work in Cuba and look forward to his return and 
hearing from him. I am hopeful that he will come before us in Congress 
in some setting in which he might be able to describe his feelings 
about events in Cuba while sharing his opinion of what the prospects 
hold for the future.
  With that, Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.

[[Page S4455]]

  The senior assistant bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. KYL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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