Expressing Solidarity with Cuban Citizens for Fundamental Freedoms

Floor Speech

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Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, to Ranking Member Green, also to my friend also from Florida (Mr. Deutch) in particular, and to my good friend Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, I thank you for your leadership.

Mr. Speaker, on the 11th of July, the Cuban people went to the streets demanding one thing: freedom after 62 years of repression. That was 4 months ago. Many of those who hit the streets were arrested, and many of those remain in prison in the worst possible conditions. Several have held hunger strikes to protest their unjust and cruel imprisonment.

Unfortunately, there has been very little solidarity from the Biden administration. The administration has yet to even use technology available to the United States Government and even the private sector to provide internet so the Cuban people can communicate. The administration has failed to even support adequate funding for broadcasting into Cuba through the Office of Cuba Broadcasting.

Mr. Speaker, I fear that the administration will use remittances or even humanitarian aid or other ways to prop up the regime. Having said that, that is why I am so grateful to Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who has not given up and who has not stopped working to try to bring a resolution to the floor.

This resolution is a compromise. It is a compromise resolution, and although, as you have heard before, Mr. Speaker, many of my colleagues and I would have liked a stronger resolution such as the one that I introduced in July, which, again, the House leadership has refused to bring forward, this resolution does express solidarity with the Cuban people. Again, that is why I am so grateful to Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

I mention her, but I also need to mention Congressman McCarthy; Albio Sires; Maria Elvira Salazar; Carlos Gimenez; Mr. Mark Green, whom I mentioned; Michael McCaul; and Ted Deutch for their solidarity.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution for the cause of freedom and human rights in Cuba so that the Cuban people know that they are not alone and that we are with them.

Again, while we would like to be stronger, I am grateful for those who have worked day in and day out to finally bring this forward.

Patria y vida. Cuba will be free. They must know, and they will know, that they are not alone.

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