[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 101 (Thursday, June 26, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1088]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 ON THE OCCASION OF THE GRADUATION OF AMERICAN STUDENTS FROM THE LATIN 
              AMERICAN SCHOOL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES IN CUBA

                                  _____
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 26, 2014

  Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and 
offer my personal congratulations to the 2014 graduating class of the 
Latin American School of Medical Sciences. They have all traveled a 
long way to earn Medical Doctorates in Havana, Cuba.
  These dedicated doctors overcame immense hurdles to complete their 
medical educations. They not only had to face six years away from home, 
but also had to pursue their education in Spanish after attending a 12-
week intensive language program. They had to complete their studies cut 
off from their families and uncertain about their futures due to the 
draconian Cuban embargo that continues to threaten this excellent 
program.
  After a visit to Cuba in 2000, I was proud to have helped initiate 
the scholarship program, along with the other members of the 
Congressional Black Caucus. I am also proud to take advantage of this 
incredible opportunity to bring access to healthcare back to those who 
need it most.
  The 2014 graduating class includes 20 students from the United 
States, bringing the total of young physicians to 104 who are either 
completing residencies or practicing medicine in underserved areas of 
the United States. These students should be recognized not only for the 
many challenges they had to overcome, but also for their dedication to 
service.
  The Cuban government devoted scholarships, covering tuition, 
dormitory room and board, and textbooks, to students from the United 
States who are willing to commit to serve in medically underserved 
communities. This expensive and humane gesture allows students, who 
might otherwise not have the resources to pursue medical degrees in the 
United States, to become doctors and to serve the uninsured and 
underinsured who too often fall through the cracks of our for-profit 
healthcare industry. It also reduces the concern that health care for 
all is not attainable because there are not enough doctors to meet the 
need.
  It is my hope that what these doctors have achieved will not only 
bring desperately needed healthcare to the underserved, but will also 
serve as an example to the healthcare industry, the American people and 
the members of Congress, that healthcare is a basic human right, not a 
privilege.
  On behalf of California's 13th Congressional District, I salute the 
graduates of the Latin American School of Medical Sciences. I look 
forward to seeing all that you accomplish and I wish you all the very 
best in your future endeavors.

                          ____________________