Senate Approved $45.7 Million For Pro-Democracy Movement In China

Washington - U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), today applauded the Senate for accepting an amendment he joined Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL) in offering that will appropriate $45.7 million for the pro-democracy movement in Cuba. The president had requested the full $45.7 million for Cuba democracy assistance programs in his budget and the House of Representatives had approved the full level of funding, but only $15 million was included in the Senate version of the State Foreign Operations Appropriations bill. Today's successful amendment adds the remaining $30.7 million to the funding.

"Right now, we're faced with a moment of hope for the Cuban people," said Menendez on the Senate floor. "Right now we face a potential tipping point for the Cuban opposition leaders and dissidents who risked their lives and well-being, their security and freedom every day to speak out for democracy. So right now, we have to seize this moment of hope and increase our support for democracies inside of Cuba. If we look at the history of democracies around the world, we have learned that at just such moments, internal democratic movements need external support."

The full text of Menendez's speech on the Senate floor is available below:

{14:12:47 NSP} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

MR. MENENDEZ: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. MR. PRESIDENT, I RISE TO SPEAK TO ONE OF THE AMENDMENTS PENDING BEFORE THE SENATE ON CUBA DEMOCRACY. BUT BEFORE I SPEAK TO THAT SPECIFIC AMENDMENT, I WANT TO START OFF BY THANKING CHAIRMAN LEAHY FOR ALL OF HIS HARD WORK ON THE FOREIGN OPERATIONS APPROPRIATIONS BILL. HIS LEADERSHIP ON CRUCIAL ISSUES AROUND THE WORLD IS CRITICAL. AND I ALSO APPRECIATE HIS SUPPORT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AROUND THE WORLD

{14:13:18} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

IN LATIN AMERICA AND OTHER PLACES AS WELL AS HIS WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH ME AND MY STAFF. AND SO WE APPRECIATE HIS LEADERSHIP ON WHAT I THINK IS OVERALL AN EXCEPTIONAL BILL THAT'S BEEN THOUGHT BROUGHT TO THE SENATE FOR -- THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO THE SENATE FOR ITS CONSIDERATION. I DIDN'T KNOW MY COLLEAGUE, SENATOR MARTINEZ, WAS GOING TO COME TO THE FLOOR EARLIER - I WOULD HAVE JOINED HIM AT THE TIME -- BUT I CERTAINLY WANT TO JOIN HIM IN PROMOTING THIS AMENDMENT ON CUBAN DEMOCRACY. MR.

{14:13:52} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

CHAIRMAN -- MR. PRESIDENT, THIS AMENDMENT IS SIMPLE AND FOR

A SIMPLE BUT POWERFUL PURPOSE: TO SUPPORT DEMOCRACY INSIDE OF CUBA. NOW, I BELIEVE THAT NO MATTER WHERE WE AS MEMBERS OF THE SENATE STAND ON THE ISSUE OF U.S. POLICY TOWARDS CUBA -- AND I RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE DIVERGING VIEWS -- EVERY MEMBER OF THIS BODY, HOWEVER, I WOULD SUSPECT SUPPORTS ACHIEVING DEMOCRACY IN CUBA AND, THEREFORE, SHOULD SUPPORT THIS PARTICULAR AMENDMENT. RIGHT NOW, WE'RE AT A CRITICAL TIME FOR

{14:14:26} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

DEMOCRACY IN CUBA. SOME WOULD ASK: WELL, WHY NOW? WHY SHOULD WE INCREASE THE FUNDING FOR CUBA DEMOCRACY RIGHT NOW IN THIS LEGISLATION? AND I WOULD ANSWER, RIGHT NOW WE FACE A MOMENT OF HOPE FOR THECUBAN PEOPLE. RIGHT NOW WE FACE A MOMENT OF HOPE FOR THE CUBAN PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUFFERED UNDER THE ONLY DICTATORSHIP IN THE

{14:15:01} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

ENTIRE HEMISPHERE, A DICTATORSHIP OF 48

{ NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT OF THE SENATE PROCEEDINGS.}

THE RIGHT ARE NONETHELESS DICTATORSHIPS. THEY ARE AN OPPRESSION OF PEOPLE AND WE SHOULD BE AGAINST SUCH OPPRESSION. SOMETIMES I HEAR FROM SOME THE ROMANTICISM OF WHO FIDEL CASTRO IS. THEY FORGET THAT HE IS ABOVE ALL A DICTATOR AND THAT HE OPPRESSES HIS PEOPLE ON A DAILY BASIS. AND THAT EVEN AT THE HEIGHT OF

{14:15:35} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

WHAT WAS THE FORMER SOVIET UNION GIVING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF ASSISTANCE TO THE CASTRO REGIME, THAT WHAT DID HE DO? HE STILL RATIONED CUBAN FAMILIES, HAVING TO WAIT IN LONG LINES, AS THEY DO TODAY BECAUSE OF A REGIME THAT SEEKS TO PUT ITS MONEY IN SECURITY FORCES TO OPPRESS ITS PEOPLE INSTEAD OF FEEDING ITS OWN PEOPLE. WE SHOULD BE AGAINST SUCH REPRESSION. RIGHT NOW, WE'RE FACED WITH A MOMENT OF HOPE FOR THE CUBAN PEOPLE WITH FIDEL CASTRO AILING. RIGHT NOW WE FACE A POTENTIAL

{14:16:07} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

TIPPING POINT FOR THE CUBAN OPPOSITION LEADERS AND DISSIDENTS WHO RISKED THEIR LIVES AND WELL-BEING AND THEIR SECURITY AND THEIR FREEDOM EVERY DAY TO SPEAK OUT FOR DEMOCRACY. SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TO SEIZE THIS MOMENT OF HOPE AND INCREASE OUR SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRAC INSIDE OF -- DEMOCRACIES INSIDE OF CUBA. IF WE LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF DEMOCRACIES AROUND THE WORLD, WE HAVE LEARNED THAT AT JUST SUCH MOMENTS THAT INTERNAL

{14:16:42} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENTS NEED EXTERNAL SUPPORT. LOOK AT THE SIMILAR MOVEMENTS IN EASTERN EUROPE. LOOK AT POLAND'S SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT. LOOK AT THE FORMER CZECHOSLOVAKIA MOVEMENT. IN EACH CASE, THESE INTERNAL MOVEMENTS WERE ALSO SUPPORTED FROM THE OUTSIDE. WE MUST REMEMBER OUR RESPONSIBILITY WHEN WE HEAR THOSE WHO FORMERLY LANGUISHED UNDER COMMUNIST RULE, WHEN WE HEAR PEOPLE LIKE THE FAMOUS POLISH HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST AND FORMER

{14:17:18} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

PRESIDENT OF POLAND, LEK WALENSA SAY YOUR DETERMINATION AND YOUR CIVILIZATION BLOOMED WITH THE HOPE OF POLS. AND THAT IS WHY IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE INCREASE OUR FUNDS TO SUPPORT DEMOCRACY IN CUBA RIGHT NOW. A FEW WEEKS AGO I PARTICIPATED IN A VIDEOCONFERENCE AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT WITH CUBAN HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS, POLITICAL DISSIDENTS, INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS WHO

{14:17:56} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

TOOK GREAT RISKS, GREAT RISKS TO TRAVEL TO THE U.S. INTRASECTION IN HAVANA FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF CUBA TO SPEAK TO A GROUP OF DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, OF WHICH I WAS ONE. WE HEARD ONE CLEAR MESSAGE, THAT THEY ARE FACING INCREASED PRESSURE. THINK ABOUT IT ALREADY. UNDER A TOTALITARIAN DICTATORSHIP, THAT EVEN UNDER THAT OPPRESSION, THEY ARE FACING INCREASED PRESSURE FROM THE REGIME AND THAT U.S. FUNDS ARE CRITICAL TO THEIR ABILITY TO CONTINUE SPEAKING OUT AGAINST

{14:18:27} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

REPRESSION. I WOULD ADD THAT THE DISSIDENTS AND OPPOSITION LEADERS WERE UNITED. WERE UNITED. THERE WAS WELL OVER A DOZEN OF THEM IN THIS VIDEOCONFERENCE AT THE U.S. INTRASECTION AND THEY WERE UNITED ON THIS POINT EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE SOMETIMES DIVIDED ON OTHER ISSUES. ON THIS POINT OF RECEIVING ASSISTANCE IN ORDER TO NURTURE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CIVIL SOCIETY AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANGE TO TAKE PLACE, THEY WERE UNITED. IN FACT, I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THESE SAME

{14:19:05} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

LEADERS WHICH SAID THEIR NEEDS WERE, QUOTE, AMONG OTHER, "MEDICINE TO KEEP A POLITICAL PRISONER OR DISSIDENT FROM DYING TO FOOD, WATER FILTERS, MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, CLOTHING, SHOES, COATS, TOYS FOR THE CHILDREN OF POLITICAL PRISONERS WHO SUFFER, THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE WHO IS IN PRISON, AND SOCIAL REPRESSION, SOCIAL REPRESSION ON THE STREETS AND IN SCHOOLS, ESSENTIAL VITAMINS, OFFICE SUPPLIES, AND THE TOOLS OF

DEMOCRACY, THE TOOLS OF COMMUNICATIONS, COMPUTERS, PR PRINTERS,

{14:19:37} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

PHONES, FAX MACHINES." BECAUSE IN A CLOSED SOCIETY, MR. PRESIDENT, IN WHICH ONLY THE DICTATORSHIP OWNS THE AIRWAVES, WHETHER IT BE THAT OF RADIO OR THAT OF TELEVISION OR THE STATE

NEWSPAPER, WHEN YOU CANNOT EXPRESS YOUR GOD-GIVEN RIGHT AS AN INDIVIDUAL TO HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEW AND TO SPEAK OUT AND YOU HAVE NO FORM OF EXPRESSING THAT VIEW TO THOSE OF YOUR FELLOW COUNTRYMEN, TO HAVE THEM SEEK TO MOVE IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, WHAT WE DO BY PROVIDING COMPUTERS AND PRINTERS AND PHONES AND

{14:20:13} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

FAX MACHINES ARE THE VERY ESSENCE OF WHAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED HERE AT HOME, BUT FOR THEM ARE THE VERY SEEDS, THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO PROMOTE DEMOCRACY. THIS LETTER WAS SIGNED BY A DIVERSE GROUP OF CUBAN DISSIDENTS INCLUDING JULIO GONZALEZ, JUAN GONZALEZ FABLES, LAURA PANTELO, MR. DELGADO, GUILLERMO

{14:20:48} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

FERNANDEZ, AND EL ELISARDO SANCHEZ SANTA CRUZ. THIS IS A VERY DIVERSE GROUP OF HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS, POLITICAL DISSIDENTS, AND JOURNALISTS, THEY DON'T ALL AGREE, JUST AS WE DON'T ALWAYS ALL AGREE HERE. THEY AGREE ON THEY ALL SEEK TO HAVE DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS. THEY MAY HAVE COME AT IT IN DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT THEY ALL AGREE THAT THEY NEED THE HELP FROM THE UNITED STATES AND FROM OTHERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THIS. THIS IS WHY THIS AMENDMENT INCREASING THE FUNDING IN THE BILL TO $47.5 MILLION IS IMPORTANT. THIS IS THE SAME LEVEL OF

{14:21:21} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

FUNDING THAT THE PRESIDENT REQUESTED, THE SAME LEVEL OF FUNDING THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE HOUSE VERSION OF THIS BILL THAT WAS PASSED BY A STRONG BIPARTISAN VOTE. LET ME BE CLEAR. WE ARE ASKING FOR AN INCREASE IN THESE FUNDS. WE'RE ASKING FOR AN INCREASE IN THESE FUNDS BECAUSE THIS IS EXACTLY THE MOMENT TO INCREASE FUNDS FOR CUBAN DEMOCRACY. WE DO PROVIDE AN OFFSET FOR THESE FUNDS SO WE'RE NOT INCREASING THE OVERALL TOTAL OF THE BILL, AND THE OFFSET IS EXACTLY WHAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE HOUSE-PASSED VERSION OF THIS BILL, AND IT'S FROM THE LARGEST

{14:21:56} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

POT OF MONEY IN THE ENTIRE BILL FOR GENERAL EXPENSES - FOR EXPENSES FOR GENERAL ADMINISTRATION. I'D ALSO LIKE TO REMIND MY FRIENDS THAT THESE PROGRAMS THAT I AM TALKING ABOUT FOR DEMOCRACY INSIDE OF CUBA HELPING THE HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS, POLITICAL DISSIDENTS, OUT BY ORGANIZATIONS WELL-KNOWN TO MY SENATE CLEAGS COLLEAGUES, THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DE DEMOCRACY, FREEDOM HOUSE, OUR CUBAN DEMOCRACY PROGRAM ALSO WORKS WITH WELL-KNOWN

{14:22:33} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS FRANCE'S REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS, THE NETHERLANDS POX CHRISTY AND THE CZECHS IN NEED FOUNDATION. I THINK WE WOULD ALL APPRECIATE AND SUPPORT THE TYPE OF ORGANIZATION IT CARRIES OUT. U.S. FUNDS ADVOCATE HELPING HUMAN RIGHTS, INCLUDING HELPING WIVES OF POLITICAL PRISONERS ADVOCATING FOR RELEASE OF PRISON AND DEFENDING THEIR RIGHTS IN JAIL. U.S. FUNDS SUPPORT PRO U.S. ACTIVISTS, GUARANTEES TRAINING ON DISSIDENTS ON LEADERSHIP, CIVIL SOCIETY

{14:23:04} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

ACTIVITIES, FACILITATING COORDINATION AMONG ACTIVISTS AND MAKING SMALL INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPING GRANTS TO STRENGTHEN THE ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY OF DEMOCRACY GROUPS. AND U.S. FUNDS GIVE CUBANS A VOICE IN HELP DISSEMINATE ACTIVIST WRITING AND WORK OF INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS. AND THE WORK THEY DO IS POWERFUL AND MEANINGFUL. BETWEEN 2004 AND 2005, THERE WAS A 54% INCREASE IN CIVIL RESISTANCE ACTIONS WITH INSIDE OF CUBA, 89%

{14:23:42} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

OF WHICH OCCURRED OUTSIDE OF HAVANA IN CUBA'S PROVINCES. A 2005 STUDY BY THE CUBAN DEMOCRATIC DIRECTORATE FOUND THAT ACTIONS OF CIVIL RESISTANCE HAVE INCREASED FROM 444 IN THE YEAR 2000 TO 3,322 IN THE YEAR 2005. IT IS A POSITIVE TREND OF THOSE WHO SEEK TO CREATE CIVIL SOCIETY AND PEACEFUL CHANGE INSIDE OF THEIR COUNTRY TOWARDS THAT WHICH WE PROMOTE AROUND THE WORLD, HUMAN RIGHTS, DEMOCRACY. AND IGNORING THIS OPPORTUNITY WOULD

{14:24:17} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

ONLY UNDERMINE THIS HISTORIC UNDERTAKING. SO IN CONCLUSION, MR. PRESIDENT, I BELIEVE THIS IS A VOTE THAT SHOULD UNITE ALL OF US WHEREVER WE STAND ON GENERAL U.S. POLICY TOWARDS CUBA. LET ME REMIND MY FRIENDS, THIS IS NOT A VOTE ON THE EMBARGO, THIS IS NOT A VOTE ON BASIC U.S. POLICIES TOWARDS CUBEA. WE MAY HAVE

THAT DISCUSSION -- TOWARDS CUBA. WE MAY HAVE THAT DISCUSSION ON SOME OTHER DAY. BY VOTING, HOWEVER, FOR THIS AMENDMENT YOU ARE VOTING TO SUPPORT THOSE IN CUBA WHO CONTINUE TO GO OUT IN THE

{14:24:51} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

STREETS EVERY DAY TO ASK FOR PEACEFUL DEMOCRATIC CHANGE, WHO

RISK THEIR LIVES, WHO RISK THEIR LIVING. MR. PRESIDENT, THAT'S NOT AN OVERDRAMATIZATION OF THE REALITY OF THE CHALLENGE OF

THOSE WHO SEEK TO CREATE CHANGE WITHIN THEIR COUNTRY AND THE

COUNTRY OF CUBA FACE. I REPRESENT MANY IN NEW JERSEY WHO HAVE LANGUISHED IN CASTRO'S JAILS FOR 10, 20, EVEN 30 YEARS. WHAT WAS THEIR CRIME? WHAT WAS THEIR CRIME THAT THEY'D LANGUISHED 10, 20, OR 30 YEARS IN CASTRO'S JAILS?

{14:25:24} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

SIMPLY TO SUGGEST, SIMPLY TO SUGGEST THAT THERE WAS A BETTER

WAY FOR THE CUBAN PEOPLE, SIMPLY TO SPEAK OUT FOR THOSE

FREEDOMS THAT WITH ENJOY HERE IN THIS COUNTRY, SIMPLY TO BE

ABLE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORSHIP AT THE ALTAR THAT WE

CHOOSE, SIMPLY TO BE ABLE TO ELECT THOSE WHO REPRESENT US IN

OUR GOVERNMENT AS WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO SERVE HERE, SIMPLY TO BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AND ORGANIZE AND DEMONSTRATE A DIFFERENT VIEW THAN THAT WHICH THE GOVERNMENT MIGHT HAVE AT ANY GIVEN

{14:25:58} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

TIME, SIMPLY TO SPEAK YOUR MIND WITHOUT THE FEAR, BUT THE

CONSEQUENCE OF DOING SO WILL HAVE YOU LANGUISH 10, 20, OR 30

YEARS IN CASTRO'S GULAG. ANYONE WHO DOUBTS THAT IS WELCOME TO COME TO MY HOME STATE OF NEW JERSEY, I'M SURE TO THE HOME STATE OF MY COLLEAGUE FROM FLORIDA, AND OTHERS IN THE COUNTRY WHO CAN VISIT WITH THESE HUMAN LIVING EXAMPLES OF THAT REPRESSION, AND IN MANY CASES, OF THE TORTURE THEY RECEIVED AT THE HANDS OF

THIS DICTATORSHIP. BY VOTING FOR THIS AMENDMENT, YOU'RE VOTING

{14:26:33} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

TO SUPPORT THOSE IN CUBA WHO ARE SEEKING AND TRYING TO CREATE PEACEFUL DEMOCRATIC CHANGE. BY VOTING FOR THIS AMENDMENT YOU'RE VOTING TO PROVIDE FOOD AND CLOTHING TO SUPPORT POLITICAL PRISONERS IN CASTRO'S JAILS WHO HAVE BEEN IMPRISONED FOR DOING NOTHING MORE THAN RE READING THE DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS OR OTHER DEMOCRATIC DOCUMENTS. MR. PRESIDENT, I WROTE WHEN I WAS IN THE HOUSE WHAT IS STILL LAW OF THE LAND, TITLE 2 OF THE HELMS-BURTON LEGISLATION, WHICH IS THE DOCUMENT OF THAT LAW WHICH TALKS ABOUT HOW THE UNITED STATES STANDS READY TO ASSIST

{14:27:07} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

A FUTURE GOVERNMENT PLEDGED TO DEMOCRACY IN TRANSITION AND THEN A FUTURE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT. AND WE PUT UNDER PRESIDENT CLINTON THE FIRST PLAN THAT DESCRIBED THE PROACTIVE NATURE -- THE FIRST TIME THAT WE PREPARED PROACTIVELY FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF A TRANSITION IN A COUNTRY. AND THAT DOCUMENT WAS SENT TO U.S. INTRASECTION AND REPRODUCED AND WAS GIVEN TO CUBIANS WHO CAME TO -- TO CUBANS WHO CAME TO THE INTRASECTION. AND THOSE WHO HAD THE AUDACITY TO HAVE THAT SIMPLE DOCUMENT WITHIN THEIR

{14:27:38} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

POSSESSION WERE OFTEN ARRESTED AND THROWN INTO JAIL. THE POWER OF THE THOUGHT, THE LIBERATING THOUGHT OF THE FREEDOMS AND THE REAL ATTITUDE THE UNITED STATES HAD WITH THE CUBAN PEOPLE AS TO WHERE WE WANT TO HELP THE PEOPLE, NOT THOSE WHO OPPRESS THEM, WAS SO POWERFUL THAT THE REGIME COULD NOT AFFORD TO LET PEOPLE READ IT AND WOULD ARREST THEM AS THEY LEFT THE INTRASECTION. BY VOTING FOR THIS AMENDMENT, YOU GIVE THOSE WHO READ THAT DOCUMENT OR THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS OR OTHER DEMOCRATIC DOCUMENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SURVIVE

{14:28:11} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

THOSE JAILS. BY VOTING FOR THIS AMENDMENT, YOU'RE VOTING TO DO WHAT THE I WANT NATIONAL COMMUNITY DID IN POLAND AND HUNGARY AND EASTERN EUROPE. YOUR VOTING FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AS WE DO IN OTHER PROGRAMS IN OTHER COUNTRIES LIKE CHINA, CAMBODIA AND OTHERS. BY VOTING FOR THIS AMENDMENT YOU'RE MAKING A SIMPLE STATEMENT. WHETHER OR NOT WE AAGREE HOW WE ACHIEVE THE POLICY GOALS, WE SUPPORT FREEDOM AND HUMAN RIGHTS FOR THE CUBAN PEOPLE. THAT'S WHAT THIS AMENDMENT DOES. AND I HOPE WE WILL

{14:28:48} (MR. MENENDEZ) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

HAVE, AS THE HOUSE DID, A STRONG BIPARTISAN VOTE TO SEND A MESSAGE TO THOSE WHO STRUGGLE EVERY DAY INSIDE OF CUBA TO CREATE FREEDOM, TO PROMOTE THE RIGHTS OF EVERYONE INDIVIDUALLY AS WE ARE ABLE TO ENJOY IT HERE IN THIS COUNTRY, YET 90 MILES AWAY FROM THE SHORES OF THE UNITED STATES, THERE CAN BE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY AS PEOPLE ASPIRE TO THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. THIS IS THE MOMENT. THIS IS THE TIME. THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY. I

HOPE THE SENATE WILL AVAIL ITSELF OF IT AND VOTE FOR THIS

AMENDMENT. WITH THAT, MR. PRESIDENT, I YIELD THE FLOOR.

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