As White House Prepares Cuba Trip, Senator Lankford Asks President Obama to Reevaluate Growing Diplomatic Ties with Cuba and India

Statement

Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today asked the President to reevaluate his decision to open diplomatic and trade relations with Cuba and India because of their poor human rights and religious liberty records. In a letter, Lankford cited Cuba and India's restrictive speech policies and oppressive culture against religious minorities as a reason to halt the increasingly close relations.

This letter comes on the same day the White House announces an historic upcoming trip for President Obama to Cuba. The President will most likely visit Cuba in March, marking the first visit for a sitting United States President in nearly 90 years.

In the letter, Lankford wrote, "In your words, "people are only truly free when they can practice their faith freely.' I respectfully request that the Administration reconsider increasing relations with nations that do not respect this fundamental right. I am concerned with the United States' increasingly close relations with nations that have not protected the religious liberty and human rights of their people."

Last May, Lankford introduced a bipartisan religious liberty trade amendment that was ultimately signed into law. The legislation requires the President to take into account a country's religious freedom record when negotiating all future trade agreements.

Lankford serves as the co-chair of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, which works to protect the fundamental human right of religious freedom.

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