[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 17796]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                DR. OSCAR ELIAS BISCET, CUBAN DISSIDENT

  (Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet, a Cuban 
dissident who, after more than 6 months of imprisonment in Castro's 
jail, clings to life in the hope that his situation will help galvanize 
the global community in support of Cuba's political prisoner and 
dissident movement.
  Dr. Biscet, an Amnesty International prisoner of conscience, has 
suffered 46 days of torture for refusing to succumb to his oppressors. 
He has been denied medical attention and has even been denied a Bible 
and religious visits.
  The doctor interpreted his duty under the Hippocratic Oath as an 
obligation to defend the lives of the Cuban people.
  Dr. Biscet could not ignore the cries of anguish of all who have died 
at the hands of the Castro regime. His commitment is clearly stated in 
a letter that he gave to his wife during their last visit:
  ``The evil one, Castro, must acknowledge in me an eternal rival who 
will not lower his sword of justice, even if confronted by misery, 
pain, and death simultaneously.''
  The U.S. and the Congress have always stood for freedom and for the 
defense of the oppressed the world over.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in calling for Dr. Biscet's immediate 
release so that he can continue his mission to try to free the Cuban 
people.

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