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Home , Maria Elvira Salazar, Nicole Malliotakis

U.S.- Trade and Economic Council, Inc. , New York Telephone (917) 453-6726 • E-mail: [email protected]

Internet: http://www.cubatrade.org • Twitter: @CubaCouncil Facebook: www.facebook.com/uscubatradeandeconomiccouncil LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/u-s--cuba-trade-and-economic-council-inc-

Coincidence that four of the seven members of the United States House of Representatives who define themselves as of Cuban descent, three of whom are from , were among the eleven members of the Republican Party who voted on 4 February 2021 to remove The Honorable (R- Georgia 14th) from her assignments to the Education & Labor Committee and the Committee on the Budget? Their votes could solely reflect their disagreement(s) with Mrs. Taylor Greene. Or is there more than a convergence of appreciation that statements by Mrs. Taylor Greene were offensive to the country, to the , and to the Republican Party? Might the 2020 Census results be a consideration?

In the United States House of Representatives the Democratic Party has 221 members and the Republican Party has 211 members. The United States Senate is divided 50/50.

Roll Call 25. Bill Number: H. Res. 72 4 February 2021 117th Congress, 1st Session Vote Question: On Agreeing to the Resolution. Removing a certain Member from certain standing committees of the House of Representatives Yea: 230. Nay: 199. Present: 0. Not voting: 2

Yea- The Honorable Mario Diaz-Balart (R- Florida 25th) Yea- The Honorable Carlos Gimenez (R- Florida 26th) Yea- The Honorable Maria Salazar (R- Florida 27th) Yea- The Honorable (R- New York 11th) Yea- The Honorable Chris Smith (R- New Jersey 4th)

Among the eleven members was The Honorable Chris Smith (R- New Jersey 4th) who while not of Cuban descent, has supported constraints upon the bilateral relationship between the United States and the Republic of Cuba. The State of New Jersey has a sizable population of individuals of Cuban descent.

None of the five Republican members of the United States House of Representatives who voted Yea on H. Res. 72 are assigned to Education and Labor Committee or to the Budget Committee.

Might reasons for the vote by the three members from Florida include a) showing political moderation and support for a Democratic Party initiative may have benefits when they seek support for or provide opposition to a Republic of Cuba-focused initiative and b) Florida expecting to gain two seats in the United States House of Representatives due to the 2020 Census and a belief that a unified position for ideological moderation will assist with how the districts are crafted by the Republican Party controlled Florida Legislature- with two more members of the Republican Party elected on Tuesday, 2 November 2020 to serve in the 118th Congress.

For the member from the State of New York, with the 2020 Census expected to result in a loss of two seats in the United States House of Representatives, and the New York State Legislature and Executive Mansion controlled by the Democratic Party, perhaps the reasonable calculation was to project ideological moderation as a means of attempting to preserve the seat for the Republican Party. U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, Inc.

The United States Congress

Ten (10) Cuban-American members of the United States Congress, three (3) in the United States Senate and seven (7) in the United States House of Representatives, consisting of two (2) members of the Democratic Party and eight (8) members of the Republican Party, will likely oppose most efforts by the Biden Administration to alter Trump Administration policies impacting the Republic of Cuba and Venezuela.

They are expected to act as a voting bloc to oppose most efforts by the Biden Administration to alter Trump Administration policies impacting the Republic of Cuba and Venezuela where the perception, if not reality, may benefit either country.

United States Senate The Honorable Ted Cruz (R- Texas) The Honorable (R- Florida) The Honorable Robert Menendez (D- New Jersey)

United States House of Representatives The Honorable (New Jersey; D- 8th) The Honorable (West Virginia; R- 2nd) The Honorable Anthony E. González (Ohio; R- 16th) The Honorable Mario Díaz-Balart (Florida; R-25th) The Honorable Carlos Gimenez (Florida; R- 26th) The Honorable (Florida; R- 27th) The Honorable Nicole Malliotakis (New York; R- 11th)

The United States Congress And Florida

Unhelpful for the legislative, policy and regulatory change landscape narrative when a college professor in an interview links “more freedom and more private businesses” in the Republic of Cuba to the final twenty-five months of the Obama Administration and less freedom and less private businesses in the Republic of Cuba during the Trump Administration (2017-2021).

Certainly, the bilateral relationship was robust during the final two years of the eight year in duration Obama Administration and the substantial increase from 17 December 2014 to 20 January 2017 in visitors from the United States to the Republic of Cuba resulted in an increase in the creation of visitor-dependent commercial activities throughout the Republic of Cuba, but “less freedom” today in the Republic of Cuba is not a result of the Trump Administration.

The Biden Administration and Democratic Party will continue to appease the State of Florida and its 2020 population of 21.48 million residents (14.5 million registered voters) where the Republican Party has 5,219,015 and the Democratic Party has 5,335,965; and 3,790,478 have no party affiliation. In the 2020 Presidential Election, Florida voted 51.2% Republican to 47.9% Democratic; in 2016, 49.0% Republican to 47.8% Democratic; in 2012, 50.0% Democratic to 49.1% Republican; and in 2008, 51.0% Democratic to 48.2% Republican. That data does not suggest a red state. These are the changes from the 116th United States Congress to the 117th United States Congress:

U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, Inc.

116th Congress Senate- 2 R House- 13 R and 14 D

117th Congress Senate- 2 R House- 15 R and 12 D

The Biden Administration will remain concerned about the 435-member United States House of Representatives where the Democratic Party has a ten-seat majority in the 117th United States Congress.

The 2020 Census is expected to deliver to Florida two (2) additional seats in the United States House of Representatives- which increases the electoral prominence of the state in the 2022 and 2024 elections (24 votes of the required 270 votes for victory in the Electoral College).

The state legislature in Florida is controlled by Republican Party. In 2021, the Florida Senate (24- R and 16- D) and the Florida House of Representatives (78- R and 42- D) will expectantly seek to craft favorably the two new districts for the United States House of Representatives and recraft existing districts to lessen the number of Democrats. There will likely too be court challenges.

One result will be current Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Florida will tact right, meaning against Republic of Cuba initiatives in their primaries or general election.

There will also be Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate from other states who will oppose perceived lessening of pressures upon the Republic of Cuba.

What some advocates will promote as a vote of legislative courage others will decry as a shortcut to the unemployment line.

Efforts to request the Biden Administration suspend Title III of the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act of 1996 (known as “Libertad Act”) made operational on 2 May 2019 by the Trump Administration risks antagonizing an important constituency in Florida and conflicting with President Biden’s appreciation of not interrupting the judicial process from his tenure as Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary (1987-1995). There have been thirty-two lawsuits filed since 2019 and some are at Courts of Appeals. Title III authorizes lawsuits in United States District Courts against companies and individuals who are using a certified claim or non- certified claim where the owner of the certified claim or non-certified claim has not received compensation from the Republic of Cuba or from a third-party who is using (“trafficking”) the asset.

And there are the many unknowns which can influence the 2022 and 2024 elections in Florida and other states: H.E. Nicolas Maduro, President of Venezuela, is removed from office. H.E. Daniel Ortega, President of , is removed from office. The government of the Republic of Cuba decides to robustly engage with the Biden Administration; the 5,913 certified claims are resolved.

U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, Inc.

Neither the Biden Administration nor the Democratic Party headquarters in Washington DC will abandon Florida and policies relating to the Republic of Cuba will reflect the electoral realities of Florida.

This means any legislative effort should be targeted, as in rifle, rather than scattered, as in shotgun. Be incrementalistic rather than desirous of making a point.

Better yet, focus upon changes to regulations for financial transactions which are practical and serve to increase efficiencies and opportunities for United States-based companies while providing increased transparency alongside prodding the Republic of Cuba to simultaneously engage.