Science, State, Justice, Commerce, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006

SCIENCE, STATE, JUSTICE, COMMERCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2006 -- (House of Representatives - June 15, 2005)

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Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Chairman, when I listen to this debate, I am reminded of the phrase ``the more things change, the more they remain the same.''

This is very similar to the debate when the Soviet Union was still in existence and President Reagan had a comprehensive policy to try to eliminate that regime. And the debate is the same: it is going to hurt the people. When President Reagan was trying to cut off the funding: it is going to hurt the Soviet people; they are the victims.

No. No, Ronald Reagan was right then; George W. Bush is right today, which is why the Assembly of Civil Society, the umbrella organization, opposition organization within Cuba, that just recently had a heroic meeting in Havana, publicly supports the President's policy. They understand that dignity is not a gift. They understand that the only true road to dignity is freedom: freedom of election, freedom of association, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press.

This amendment would go a long way to reversing the policy that is working. Just as many wanted to reverse Reagan's policy that succeeded in defeating the Soviet Union, this amendment is trying to reverse the Bush policy that will ultimately allow the Cuban people to live in freedom, the freedom that they so much deserve.

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