E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 115 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 163 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017 No. 36 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was also known as El Sexto, was arrested faces. Will they be brave enough to do called to order by the Speaker pro tem- for writing ‘‘he’s gone’’ on a wall after so, to march with these defenseless la- pore (Mr. ROTHFUS). Fidel Castro’s death. dies, or do they just want a junket to f Mr. Speaker, the Cuban people lack glamorize Cuba? the most basic of human rights, and Not to mention the many human DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO they are punished for any sentiment rights abuses that go unreported, Mr. TEMPORE that is not in accordance with the Cas- Speaker. Instead, the Cuban people The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- tro regime. The former administration risk their lives to record abuses, to re- fore the House the following commu- of this wonderful country failed the port them to outside organizations. nication from the Speaker: people of Cuba. The Ladies in White, Las Damas de WASHINGTON, DC, Since the change in the Cuba policy, Blanco, march every Sunday, peace- March 1, 2017. reports show that the humanitarian fully protesting the unjust and bar- I hereby appoint the Honorable KEITH J. crisis has only gotten worse on the is- baric imprisonment of dissidents. ROTHFUS to act as Speaker pro tempore on land. The 2017 Freedom in the World re- Look at these images, Mr. Speaker, this day. port put out by Freedom House showed and the stories of the women on these PAUL D. RYAN, that arbitrary arrests were at the high- posters. They are regularly beaten and Speaker of the House of Representatives. est level in 7 years. The Cuban Com- arrested, yet they continue fighting for f mission for Human Rights and Na- the freedom of their country. Pro- MORNING-HOUR DEBATE tional Reconciliation documented a testers like Xiomara de las Mercedes monthly average of 862 arbitrary deten- Cruz Miranda, who has been in prison The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- tions between January and November since last April; or Maria del Carmen ant to the order of the House of Janu- of last year. Cala Aguilera, in prison since April of ary 3, 2017, the Chair will now recog- Raul Castro tries to silence the 2015; or Juana Castillo Acosta, who was nize Members from lists submitted by Cuban people by subjecting human beaten in her own home, and then sen- the majority and minority leaders for rights defenders, journalists, and tenced to 5 years in house arrest. morning-hour debate. peaceful protesters to arbitrary arrest There are so many women to high- The Chair will alternate recognition and short-term detentions. Castro also light, so I will flip the posters. between the parties, with each party tries to cut any relation between the Here are some other faces and other limited to 1 hour and each Member opposition and outside groups. names: Yunet, Marieta, Jacqueline, other than the majority and minority Just last week, Mr. Speaker, Luis Marta, and Aymara Nieto Munoz, right leaders and the minority whip limited Almagro, the Secretary General of the over here, just a handful of the many to 5 minutes, but in no event shall de- Organization of American States, the women who are in prison today in Cas- bate continue beyond 11:50 a.m. OAS, was denied entry to Cuba. He was tro’s gulags. f to receive the first Oswaldo Paya Lib- Mr. Speaker, these are just a few of erty and Life Award. Paya was a the many who are persecuted daily for HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN human rights activist murdered by the opposing the Castro regime. That is CUBA Castro regime just 5 years ago. their crime. They are simply tossed in The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Almagro was to be presented with the jail in Castro’s effort to silence the Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from award by Paya’s daughter, but the Cas- people. But the Cuban people remain Florida (Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN) for 5 min- tro regime called this ‘‘an unaccept- strong in the face of the repressive Cas- utes. able provocation’’—receiving an award. tro regime. They do not give up hope of Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, Similarly, the former Education Min- seeing a free and democratic Cuba. appalling human rights violations take ister of Chile denied entry to Cuba and I see that same hope, Mr. Speaker, in place in my native homeland of Cuba former Mexican President denied entry the eyes of my constituents, Cuban on a regular basis and have only gotten to Cuba simply because they planned Americans like me and my family, who worse in the past few years. Just last to meet with true human rights activ- were given the opportunity to create a week, the Castro regime sentenced a ists and defenders on the island. life in a country—our country—that man to a year in prison. What was his I challenge these U.S. congressional stands for everything that Castro is crime? He did not watch Fidel Castro’s delegations that go to Cuba to march against: freedom of speech, assembly, funeral on the television. And just a with the Ladies in White on any given petition, the rule of law, and democ- few months ago, Danilo Maldonado, Sunday. Here they are. Here are their racy. b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H1395 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:35 Mar 02, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A01MR7.000 H01MRPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with HOUSE H1396 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 1, 2017 Mr. Speaker, we must stand with the programs they care about which are novative treatment and new tech- people of Cuba. We must stand against under assault, to reject shortsighted nologies and to build an atmosphere of a Castro regime that seeks to benefit policies that will spend billions of dol- appreciation and understanding in Con- only itself. We must give the Cuban lars on things we don’t need, like even gress for the hard work of all of the pa- people hope and commit to help them more nuclear weapons. How many tient advocates. Their passion is often achieve freedom and democracy. times do we have to be able to blow up driven by the care of loved ones, and It is the duty of the new administra- the world in order to achieve deter- their personal stories are profiles in tion to review the previous administra- rence? courage. tion’s failed policy and start working We should resist spending less on Hearing from thousands of advocates, for the people of Cuba and against the critical parts of our defense. For exam- many of whom are here in Washington Castro regime. ple, the diplomacy and international this week, gives the members of the f aid saves human lives; it undercuts the caucus renewed energy and purpose. calls to radicalism for people without Events held during Rare Disease Week WE MUST RESIST NOW hope. Making the job of our diplomats here on Capitol Hill and at the NIH in The SPEAKER pro tempore. The and our aid workers harder and more Bethesda highlight what has been ac- Chair recognizes the gentleman from dangerous and less effective should be complished and what still needs to be Oregon (Mr. BLUMENAUER) for 5 min- resisted at every turn. done. utes. We should resist draconian budget One of those champions joined us in Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, in cuts and hiring freezes that undercut the House Chamber just last evening. I this Chamber last night, as I listened the opportunity to take care of our was very proud that President Trump to the President’s address to the joint veterans, especially their health. Their invited New Jersey resident Megan session, I could only think of one word: health is a long overdue promise that Crowley to his joint session address. ‘‘resist.’’ Trump has occasionally talked about Megan’s story of combating a terrible Whether one voted for Donald Trump but is now actively undermining. rare disease is a testament to the or not, we are all obligated to resist his We should resist unparalleled poten- American spirit. Megan is now a stu- incoherent and contradictory pledge to tial budget assaults on things that dent at Notre Dame. I salute her, her dismantle the protections of the Af- make a difference to our communities, parents, and her family for their cour- fordable Care Act with empty slogans. like arts, public broadcasting, pro- age. Perhaps the most revealing moment grams for children, things that matter Passage of the 21st Century Cures of the Trump administration so far was deeply. Act was a major accomplishment in his declaration Monday in his meeting Together, we can resist these de- the last Congress—indeed, in my opin- with America’s Governors that health structive policies in Congress, in the ion, it was the most important piece of care is complex. ‘‘Who knew?’’ he said. budget, and in legislation, while we legislation passed during the 114th Con- Well, anybody who has done any strengthen their support for similar gress.