[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 155 (Wednesday, December 5, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S7459]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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  SENATE RESOLUTION 609--CALLING FOR THE IMMEDIATE AND UNCONDITIONAL 
 RELEASE OF UNITED STATES CITIZEN ALAN PHILLIP GROSS FROM DETENTION IN 
  CUBA AND URGING THE GOVERNMENT OF CUBA TO ADDRESS HIS MEDICAL ISSUES

  Mr. MORAN (for himself, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Lugar, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. 
Rubio, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Blunt, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. 
Bingaman, Mr. Heller, Mr. Kohl, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. Whitehouse, 
Mr. Kirk, Mr. Wyden, Mrs. Feinstein, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Boozman, Mr. 
Blumenthal, Mr. Casey, Mr. Warner, Mr. Johnson of South Dakota, Mrs. 
Boxer, Mr. Brown of Ohio, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Coburn, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. 
Portman, Mr. Coons, Mr. Toomey, and Mr. Reed of Rhode Island) submitted 
the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 609

       Whereas, Alan Phillip Gross, a citizen of the United 
     States, was born in New York on May 2, 1949, and is a 
     resident of the State of Maryland;
       Whereas Mr. Gross has devoted his professional life to 
     helping others through his work in international development 
     and has served in more than 50 countries and territories 
     worldwide;
       Whereas, in 2001, Mr. Gross founded JBDC, LLC to support 
     Internet connectivity in locations with little or no access;
       Whereas, on February 10, 2009, JBDC, LLC received a 
     subcontract with the United States Agency for International 
     Development (USAID);
       Whereas, working as a subcontractor for the United States 
     Agency for International Development, Mr. Gross sought to 
     establish wireless networks and improve Internet and Intranet 
     access and connectivity for a small, peaceful, non-dissident, 
     Cuban Jewish community;
       Whereas Mr. Gross made 5 trips to Cuba in furtherance of 
     the United States Agency for International Development 
     project he was subcontracted to support;
       Whereas the last time Mr. Gross was in the United States 
     was on November 24, 2009;
       Whereas Mr. Gross was arrested on December 3, 2009, in 
     Havana, Cuba;
       Whereas Mr. Gross was detained without charge for 14 
     months;
       Whereas Mr. Gross was charged in February 2011 with 
     ``actions against the independence or the territorial 
     integrity of the state'';
       Whereas Mr. Gross's trial lasted only 2 days, after which 
     he was sentenced to 15 years in prison;
       Whereas Mr. Gross and his wife Judy have 2 daughters, one 
     of which was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010;
       Whereas Mr. Gross's 90-year old mother was diagnosed with 
     inoperable cancer in February 2011;
       Whereas, in 2011, Mr. Gross's wife Judy underwent surgery, 
     causing her to miss considerable time from work and putting 
     further financial strain on their family;
       Whereas Mr. Gross is 63 years old and has lost more than 
     105 pounds since being detained in Cuba;
       Whereas Mr. Gross has developed degenerative arthritis in 
     his leg and a mass behind his shoulder;
       Whereas the Government of Cuba has denied requests by Mr. 
     Gross for an independent medical examination;
       Whereas Mr. Gross's legal representative filed an appeal to 
     the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention of the United 
     Nations in August 2012; and
       Whereas, since Mr. Gross was detained by the Government of 
     Cuba on December 3, 2009, his health has severely 
     deteriorated and his family members have suffered health and 
     financial problems: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) calls for the immediate and unconditional release of 
     United States citizen Alan Phillip Gross; and
       (2) urges the Government of Cuba in the meantime to provide 
     all appropriate diagnostic and medical treatment to address 
     the full range of medical issues facing Mr. Gross and to 
     allow him to choose a doctor to provide him with an 
     independent medical assessment.

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