[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 183 (Thursday, December 1, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2159]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF IMPRISONMENT OF ALAN GROSS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. THEODORE E. DEUTCH

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 1, 2011

  Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, this Saturday marks the third anniversary 
since American U.S. AID worker Alan Gross was arrested and unjustly 
imprisoned in Cuba. It is the third year in a row that the Gross family 
will prepare to spend another holiday season without their beloved 
husband, father, and son.
  Alan Gross, a resident of Maryland and a long time international 
development worker, traveled to Cuba in 2009 to help the island's small 
Jewish community establish better internet access. Upon his arrival, 
Mr. Gross declared all of his electronic items with Cuban customs 
officials. Yet on December 3, 2009, he was arrested and subsequently 
detained for 14 months without any charges filed against him. Earlier 
this year, he was charged with ``acts to undermine the integrity and 
independence'' of Cuba. Mr. Gross, a non-Spanish speaking man in his 
60's who has worked on development projects in over 50 countries, 
certainly was not trained or equipped to engage in subterfuge.
  Alan Gross has been sentenced to 15 years in jail. This preposterous 
sentence has caused tremendous emotional pain and financial hardship 
for his family, and devastated the Jewish community. Alan's daughter is 
currently undergoing treatment for cancer, and his 89 year old mother 
is in poor health and fears she will never see her son again. Alan's 
wife, Judy, has been caring for her ill daughter and mother-in-law 
while working full time to support her family. Alan himself is 
suffering from severe health problems due to a lack of medical 
treatment during his incarceration.
  In October, Governor Bill Richardson traveled to Cuba with the intent 
to discuss Alan Gross' release. During this visit, which had been 
approved by the Cuban Government, Governor Bill Richardson was denied 
even a single meeting with Alan to assess his health. Subsequently, the 
Cuban government refused to discuss Alan's case with Governor 
Richardson.
  The Castro regime has chosen to align itself with the most repressive 
and violent regimes in the world, counting among its friends the 
Venezuelan and Iranian regimes. These regimes have disregarded judicial 
processes in order to unjustly hold American citizens to use as 
leverage. We will not sit idly by and allow an American citizen to 
suffer at the hands of these tyrants. The Castro regime must 
immediately allow Alan to receive proper medical treatment and take the 
necessary steps to bring him home to his family as soon as possible.
  My colleagues and I will continue to speak out on behalf of Alan, his 
family, and the Jewish community, and continue to use every tool at our 
disposal to secure Alan's immediate release.

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