[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 1434-1435]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      HARMFUL AND COUNTERPRODUCTIVE UNITED STATES EMBARGO ON CUBA

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. RON PAUL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 2, 2005

  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise again this Congress to introduce a bill 
to lift the harmful and counterproductive United States Embargo on 
Cuba.
  On June 29, 2001, the Texas State legislature adopted a resolution 
calling for an end to

[[Page 1435]]

U.S. economic sanctions against Cuba. Lawmakers emphasized the failure 
of sanctions to remove Castro from power, and the unwillingness of 
other nations to respect the embargo. One Texas Representative stated: 
``We have a lot of rice and agricultural products, as well as high-tech 
products, that would be much cheaper for Cuba to purchase from Texas. 
All that could come through the ports of Houston and Corpus Christi.'' 
I wholeheartedly support this resolution, and I have introduced similar 
Federal legislation in past years to lift all trade, travel, and 
telecommunications restrictions with Cuba. I only wish Congress 
understood the simple wisdom expressed in Austin; so that we could end 
the harmful and ineffective trade sanctions that serve no national 
purpose.
  I oppose economic sanctions for two very simple reasons. First, they 
don't work as effective foreign policy. Time after time, we have failed 
to unseat despotic leaders by refusing to trade with the people of 
those nations. If anything, the anti-American sentiment aroused by 
sanctions often strengthens the popularity of such leaders, who use 
America as a convenient scapegoat to divert attention from their own 
tyranny. So while sanctions may serve our patriotic fervor, they mostly 
harm innocent citizens and do nothing to displace the governments we 
claim as enemies.
  Second, sanctions hurt American industries, particularly agriculture. 
Sanctions destroy American jobs. Every market we close to our Nation's 
farmers is a market exploited by foreign farmers. China, Russia, the 
Middle East, North Korea, and Cuba all represent huge markets for our 
farm products, yet many in Congress favor current or proposed trade 
restrictions that prevent our farmers from selling to the billions of 
people in these countries. Given our status as one of the world's 
largest agricultural producers, why would we ever choose to restrict 
our exports? The only beneficiaries of our sanctions policies are our 
foreign competitors.
  I certainly understand the emotional feelings many Americans have 
toward nations such as Cuba. Yet we must not let our emotions overwhelm 
our judgment in foreign policy matters, because ultimately human lives 
are at stake. Economic common sense, self-interested foreign policy 
goals, and humanitarian ideals all point to the same conclusion: 
Congress should work to end economic sanctions against all nations 
immediately.
  The legislation I introduce today is representative of true free 
trade in that while it opens trade, it prohibits the U.S. Taxpayer from 
being compelled to subsidize the United States government, the Cuban 
government or individuals or entities that choose to trade with Cuban 
citizens.

                          ____________________