[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 3]
[House]
[Page 3946]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           CUBAN AMERICAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE UNITED STATES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and support 
the efforts under way throughout my wonderful State of Florida to honor 
the courage, the achievement, and the legacy of Cuban Americans in the 
United States.
  The following cities, in addition to the Florida House of 
Representatives, have passed resolutions in support of designating a 
day to recognize the many valuable contributions of Cuban Americans to 
the United States. Hialeah Gardens, Hialeah, Doral, Florida City, West 
Miami, Miami Beach, the City of Miami, Pembroke Pines, Homestead and 
Key West.
  Cuban Americans have had a profound and lasting influence on the 
history, values, and culture of the United States since the arrival of 
the earliest Cuban settlers more than 400 years ago in St. Augustine, 
Florida.
  According to the 2007 census survey, 251,000 Cuban American-owned 
businesses generated $51 billion to our economy. Several local south 
Florida municipalities have recognized the important contributions that 
the Cuban American community has made to the economic and cultural 
development of our great Nation.
  Cuban Americans have become dedicated public servants, having held 
posts at the highest levels of government.
  Cubans settling in the United States look at this Nation, our 
wonderful United States of America, with gratitude; and many have 
risked life and limb to defend this bastion of freedom and democracy. 
Countless Cuban Americans have served bravely in all branches of the 
United States Armed Forces and have fought honorably in many wars.
  One such hero is Armando Alejandre, who voluntarily enlisted in the 
United States Marine Corps and served two tours of duty in Vietnam. 
Armando was also a volunteer for the Brothers to the Rescue, a pro-
democracy organization whose mission is to promote and support the 
efforts of the people of Cuba to free themselves from the Cuban 
dictatorship through the use of active nonviolence.
  While he and his fellow Brothers to the Rescue volunteers were 
carrying out such a humanitarian mission on February 24, 1996, the 
Cuban regime ordered Cuban military jets to shoot down their unarmed 
civilian aircraft.

                              {time}  1010

  The shoot-down resulted in the unjust killings of Carlos Costa, 
Armando Alejandre, Mario de la Pena, and Pablo Morales.
  Last month, I wrote a letter to Secretary Clinton and Attorney 
General Holder asking the administration to take immediate action to 
indict Fidel and Raul Castro for their role in this horrible shoot-
down. The United States must make it clear that we will not stand for 
the Cuban tyrannies, manipulation, and unapologetic crimes against the 
American people nor for its abuses against its own people of Cuba.
  No matter how the regime and its enablers try to spin it, the Cuban 
tyranny remains as oppressive and uncompromising as ever. Its 
methodical release and exile of political prisoners is nothing but an 
attempt to curry favor with those with whom the regime seeks business.
  This weekend's conviction and sentencing of U.S. citizen Alan Gross 
to 15 years in prison is a clear reminder of this. This deplorable act 
is another illustration of the regime's willingness to use human beings 
as political pawns to advance its destructive agenda. The United States 
and all responsible nations must demand the immediate release of Alan 
Gross and all prisoners who remain wrongfully imprisoned in Castro's 
gulags.
  I am proud to say that despite the challenges and the passing years, 
Cuban Americans remain undeterred in our fight for freedom, justice, 
and democracy.
  Mr. Speaker, I join in the support of these resolutions and again 
urge that a date be set to honor the courage, the achievements, and the 
legacy of Cuban Americans in the glorious United States.

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