Lincoln Diaz-Balart

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, again with regard to what we have brought forth this morning, a rule for consideration of four pieces of legislation to provide assistance and to increase the aid that is going to those who are in desperate need in the Gulf Coast area now due to the great catastrophe that has just been suffered, that is what we are doing. We are authorizing consideration of four pieces of legislation to increase assistance to those in need. Now, last night in the Committee on Rules, Mr. Speaker, our friends on the other side of the aisle, the minority party, brought forth one amendment to the rule that we are considering this morning and that amendment called for what is known as an open rule. In other words, that any Member of this House could bring forth any and all amendments that they may wish to do so, that they may have wished to do so with regard to any of the four pieces of legislation. Now, I generally, Mr. Speaker, am for open rules. I think that is an appropriate goal and I think that we should, as much as possible, permit the free flow of debate on as many ideas as Members have. But if there has ever been a time when we could not, when we should not have an open rule which would permit, even if each of us only had one idea, and I think the Obey amendment is a very interesting one, he just explained it a few minutes ago, even if each of us had one idea in the form of an amendment like the one that was just explained by the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey), we would have 435 amendments, Mr. Speaker, to debate. This is not the time to have 435 or 100 or 50 amendments. This is the time to bring forth legislation, a rule in this case to authorize consideration of four pieces of legislation to assist those in need. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert).

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. We are considering today, or authorizing consideration, bringing forth today under this rule, the national flood insurance program, assistance for that program for those in need in the Gulf; the Student Grant Hurricane and Disaster Relief Act, assistance for the people in the Gulf with regard to student grants and disaster relief; the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Emergency Response and Recovery Act, assistance for those in need under this act, under that law, with that program, through that program. We are bringing those measures, those specific measures to the floor today, in addition to a significant and substantial supplemental appropriations bill to get aid immediately to those in need. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop), my distinguished friend and colleague from the Committee on Rules.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I think it is important that we realize that in the same fashion in which last week's supplemental legislation was considered under a unanimous consent request, it is the hope and wish of the majority leadership that the next supplemental bill also be considered in that way under unanimous consent. With regard to additional time for debate or other matters, that could be obviously worked into a unanimous consent agreement like the one that brought forth and permitted debate and permitted passage of the first supplemental. So what we are voting on today, the rule does not preclude that. On the contrary, as I say, it is the wish of the majority leadership to continue to engage in dialogue and hopefully have a unanimous consent agreement. I wanted to make that clear because sometimes I think the facts are important to be made clear. Mr. Speaker, we reserve the balance of our time.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Yielding myself such time as I may consume, Mr. Speaker, we will have time for any and all of the measures that are brought forth if this rule passes, under authorization of this rule, for rational and any other kind of debate. I can assure my colleagues of that, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we reserve the balance of our time.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about Rene Gomez Manzano, a political prisoner in totalitarian Cuba. Mr. Gomez Manzano is a lawyer and a distinguished member of the pro- democracy opposition in Cuba. Along with fellow Cuban patriots Martha Beatriz Roque and Felix Bonne Carcasses, he is a leader of the Assembly to Promote Civil Society. The Assembly is an umbrella organization of over 300 groups of Cubans who have asserted their independence from the totalitarian state. On May 20, 2005, the Assembly carried out a meeting of approximately 200 Cubans who publicly demonstrated their rejection of totalitarianism and their support for democracy and the rule of law in Havana. Mr. Gomez Manzano was one of the primary architects of that historic, admirable accomplishment. Accordingly, he has been the constant target of Castro's machinery of repression. He has been harassed by the tyrant's thugs and, now, unjustly incarcerated as a political prisoner for his peaceful activities. Eight years before, in 1997, after coauthoring the important and historic work ``La Patria es de Todos'' (``The Homeland Belongs to All'') with Martha Beatriz Roque, Felix Bonne Carcasses and another Cuban patriot, Vladimiro Roca, Mr. Gomez Manzano was arrested by the dictatorship and sentenced to various years in the gulag. During his unjust imprisonment, and after being released, Mr. Gomez Manzano never wavered in his commitment to bring freedom, democracy and human rights to the Cuban people. Unfortunately, in an additional act of extreme and despicable repression by the dictatorship, Mr. Gomez Manzano, along with dozens of others, was arrested once again on July 22, 2005, before he could attend a peaceful demonstration in front of the French Embassy in Havana to protest the resumption of the European Union's policy of so-called engagement with the terrorist regime in Havana. I have never had the honor of personally meeting Mr. Gomez Manzano, but I can certainly say that I know him quite well. I have spoken to him by telephone during various Congressional hearings and other public events dedicated to highlighting the suffering and oppression of the Cuban people. He is a great patriot, a man of the law, a man of peace, and an apostle of freedom for Cuba. Mr. Speaker, it is completely unacceptable that, while the world stands by in silence and acquiescence, Mr. Gomez Manzano languishes in the gulag because of his belief in freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. We cannot permit the brutal treatment by a demented and murderous tyrant of a man of peace like Mr. Gomez Manzano for simply supporting freedom for his people. My colleagues, we must demand the immediate and unconditional release of Rene Gomez Manzano and every political prisoner in totalitarian Cuba.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 396 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 396 is a traditional, standard rule for consideration of the conference report for the fiscal year 2006 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate, equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations. The legislation before us appropriates $3.084 billion for operations of the legislative branch. The bill is fiscally sound. It includes a modest increase from the bill of fiscal year 2005. In accordance with long practice, Mr. Speaker, each body determined its own fiscal requirements. As such, the conference report includes $1.1 billion the House of Representatives originally appropriated for its operations earlier this year. It also includes the $759 million the Senate appropriated for its operations. The appropriations for both the House of Representatives and the Senate includes funds for Members' representational allowances, leadership and committee offices. These funds will help Members fulfill their duties to legislate and to oversee. These funds also help Congress complete the vitally important task, as I have just mentioned, which is the oversight of the executive branch. The Constitution grants Congress broad powers that include the extraordinarily important power of oversight. This includes obviously getting to know what the executive is doing, how programs are being administered, by whom and at what cost, and whether officials are complying with the law, with the intent of the law. For the Capitol Police, who each and every day protect us, our staffs, and our constituents visiting the Capitol, the bill appropriates over $249 million. This level of funding will support the current staffing level of 1,592 officers, an additional 43 officers for the Library of Congress and 45 new officers for the Capitol Visitors Center. Also included is an inspector general for the Capitol Police to help the Capitol Police with administrative operations such as financial management and budgeting. The bill also includes an important piece of legislation, the Continuity in Representation Act of 2005. As we all know, Mr. Speaker, on September 11, 2001, flight 93 was headed toward us here. If it were not for the heroic acts of the passengers on flight 93, we could very well have faced a situation where Congress may not have been able to function. We cannot allow this to happen. We certainly have to do everything we can to not allow it to happen. H.R. 841 would accelerate elections in case a terrorist attack leaves the House of Representatives with over 100 vacancies. It provides for the expedited special election of new Members to fill seats left vacant in ``extraordinary circumstances.'' The House passed this bill earlier this year by an overwhelming bipartisan margin of 329 to 68. In the 108th Congress, the House passed a similar bill by a vote of 306 to 97. Each time the Senate has failed to consider this vital piece of legislation; so the Speaker wisely asked that this very important legislation be included in this process. We must not ignore the threat to our constitutional duty. It is time that we have legislation such as this that can handle such an inconceivably horrible possibility and does not leave our duty to legislate and oversee in limbo. Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill, essential to our continued ability to legislate, to our power of oversight and the continuity of government. I would like to thank the gentleman from California (Chairman Lewis) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey), ranking member, for their leadership on this. And I thank the distinguished gentlewoman from California for her hard work and friendship. I urge my colleagues to support both the rule and the underlying legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Matsui), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. (Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a resolution condemning the Cuban dictatorship's most recent measures of extreme repression against Cuba's pro-democracy movement. Following Castro's condemnable, March 2003, crackdown against peaceful pro-democracy activists, the European Union correctly took measures against the Cuban regime. However, in January 2005, the European Union suspended these measures and resumed its policy of so- called ``engagement'' with the terrorist regime in Havana. This policy of appeasement includes inviting regime officials to diplomatic events and shamelessly disinviting Cuba's brave pro-democracy activists. Unfortunately, on July 14, 2005, the Government of France invited the dictatorship's Foreign Minister to the French Embassy in Havana for a Bastille Day celebration. And, the Government of France did not invite the heroic members of the democratic opposition to the same celebration. To protest this cowardly policy, members of the pro-democracy opposition in Cuba sought, on July 22, to demonstrate in front of the French Embassy in a peaceful and orderly manner for the liberation of all Cuban political prisoners, and to denounce the current policy of the European Union. In a viscous display of gangster-style repression, the Cuban regime mobilized its repugnant state security apparatus to try to intimidate and harass the peaceful demonstrators. Members of the Assembly to Promote Civil Society in Cuba, who were planning a peaceful demonstration in front of the French Embassy in Havana on the morning of Friday, July 22, were the victims of hate acts (``acts of repudiation''), their homes were ransacked, and at least 20 of them were arrested. Among those arrested were the leaders of the Cuban opposition Martha Beatriz Roque, Felix Bonne Carcasses and Rene Gomez Manzano. Mr. Gomez Manzano and other opposition members remain in prison as I speak. This is one more example of the brutality of a dictatorship that does not allow freedom of expression for Cubans, and instructs its thugs to assault the members of the peaceful opposition for the ``crime'' of seeking freedom, democracy and respect for human rights in Cuba. The world needs to respond in the strongest possible terms to this latest violation of the most elemental human rights in Cuba. This resolution condemns the latest violations of human rights by the Cuban regime, a regime of gangsters, by gangsters and for gangsters, led by a gangster in chief.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, every once in a while, a vote comes before us that is evidently more than important, and this is one such vote. This is an historic vote that we are taking today on a special relationship with the countries of Central America and the Dominican Republic. Those countries, their Presidents, their Parliaments, have taken a definitive step; they have resisted the totalitarian temptations, the destabilization efforts of the axis of Ortega and Chavez with his hundreds of millions of dollars that he is pouring into these countries and the entire region to destabilize them. They have resisted that access, and they have voted for a special relationship with the United States. Talk about pressure, I say to my colleagues. Mr. Speaker, the pressures that are genuine, that are extraordinary, are the ones that are felt by those countries, the countries of Central America and the Dominican Republic, to accept, to go forth with a totalitarian temptation, and they have rejected that. They have provided troops to help us in the war against terrorism in Iraq. What would we be saying, Mr. Speaker, if we voted against CAFTA today? ``Thank you. Thank you for your help in Iraq. Thank you for progressing with democratic reforms, for establishing democracy. Thank you, but no thanks. We do not want you to tie your histories, your destinies, your futures to the United States, which is what you have decided to do.'' We have an obligation, Mr. Speaker, to say, yes, we are proud of our special relationship with our brother countries of this hemisphere. We recognize that you are our allies, you are our friends. You have stood with us in peace, you have stood with us in war, you have decided to tie your futures to us, and we say, welcome. That is what this vote is all about, Mr. Speaker. It is a critically important historic vote. Say ``yes'' to the rule and say ``yes'' to this agreement. Say ``yes'' to CAFTA.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about Guido Sigler Amaya, a political prisoner in totalitarian Cuba. Mr. Sigler Amaya is a member of the Alternative Option Movement, and an activist of the pro-democracy opposition in Cuba. According to Amnesty International, he has been detained and harassed several times in the past. He was incarcerated in the totalitarian gulag in December 1999, after participating in a peaceful demonstration to celebrate the 51st anniversary on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In 2002, he was again detained when he attempted to meet at a home in Havana to discuss human rights. Despite the constant threats, despite being previously incarcerated in the gulag, Mr. Sigler Amaya never gave up his dignified struggle for democracy and basic human rights. Unfortunately, as part of the dictator's condemnable, March 2003, crackdown, Mr. Sigler Amaya was arrested. After a sham trial, he was sentenced to 20 years in the totalitarian gulag. Let me be very clear, Mr. Sigler Amaya is languishing in the depraved conditions of the totalitarian gulag because of his peaceful actions to promote basic human rights: The U.S. State Department describes the conditions in the gulag as, ``harsh and life threatening.'' It is a crime of the highest order that brave men and women are imprisoned in these nightmarish conditions simply for their belief in freedom. Tragically, Mr. Guido Sigler Amaya is not the only member of his family sentenced to the totalitarian gulag. His brothers, Ariel and Miguel Sigler Amaya, whom I will speak about in the coming weeks, have been sentenced to 20 years and over 2 years in the gulag, respectively. These three brothers are brilliant and admirable examples of the heroism of the Cuban people. No matter how intense the repression, no matter how severe the consequences of a dignified struggle for liberty, the totalitarian gulags are full of men and women who represent the very best of the Cuban nation. Mr. Speaker, it is completely unacceptable that, while the world stands by in silence and acquiescence, these three brothers are systematically tortured because of their belief in freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. My Colleagues, we must demand the immediate and unconditional release of Guido Sigler Amaya, Ariel Sigler Amaya, Miguel Sigler Amaya and every political prisoner in totalitarian Cuba.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recall the tragic anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. On July 20, 1974, the nation of Cyprus was viscously attacked by Turkey. This abominable act of violence against the people of Cyprus has never been undone. To this day, Turkish troops illegally occupy Cyprus, splitting the nation into two areas. Since 1974, the nation has been divided, but progress is being made toward the reunification of Cyprus. In late April 2004, the people of Cyprus went to the polls to vote on a plan of reunification. Unfortunately, this reunification proposal was rushed, allegedly to coincide with the ascension of Cyprus into the European Union. Because of many legitimate concerns, including security, and in a demonstration of great courage and independence, approximately 75 percent of Greek Cypriots opposed the plan. However, this rushed and unfortunate effort must not, and will not, be the end of attempts to reunify the island. A lasting and equitable solution for the people of Cyprus, and the goal of a united Cyprus, is too important to abandon, now or ever. The goal of the process must be to attain a just and lasting solution, not a rushed or imposed solution. Currently, the Republic of Cyprus is seeking a plan that truly reunifies both its society and economy, while allowing each community to retain its own identity and culture, without foreign occupation. I remain committed to achieving a solution to this problem so that we never have to gather again to commemorate an anniversary of this condemnable and unjustifiable invasion. Mr. Speaker, I pray that this will be the last year of a divided Cyprus. It is my fervent hope that, 31 years after Cyprus was torn asunder, all Cypriots can be reunited, living in peace and freedom forever.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about Alejandro Gonzalez Raga, a political prisoner in totalitarian Cuba. Mr. Gonzalez Raga is an independent journalist and a contributor to the Camaguey Press Agency. As an independent journalist in a totalitarian Cuba, Mr. Gonzalez Raga's truthful articles have helped the world to learn the facts about the nightmare that is the Castro regime. Because of his belief in factual reporting, Mr. Gonzalez Raga relentlessly chronicled the atrocities committed by Castro's machinery of repression. I remind my colleagues that, under Castro's totalitarian regime, any freedom of the press, any effort to display the atrocities of the regime under the spotlight of truth, is met with swift and violent repression. In March, 2003, Mr. Gonzalez Raga was arrested as part of the dictatorship's heinous crackdown on peaceful pro-democracy activists. According to Reporters Without Borders, as part of his sham trial, Mr. Gonzalez Raga was accused of ``cooperating with the foreign press,'' and of ``systematically endangering territorial integrity'' by writing reports on subjects considered ``very sensitive'' by the dictatorship such as ``shortages due to the economic crisis, relations with other countries, TV programs, the education budget.'' He was sentenced to 14 years in Castro's dungeons for these ``crimes.'' Let me be very clear, Mr. Gonzalez Raga is currently languishing in the depraved conditions of the totalitarian gulag for his truthful articles. The U.S. State Department describes the conditions in the gulag as, ``harsh and life threatening.'' The State Department also reports that police and prison officials beat, neglect, isolate, and deny medical treatment to detainees and prisoners. It is a crime of the highest order that people are imprisoned in these nightmarish conditions simply for reporting the facts. Mr. Speaker, it is as inconceivable as it is unacceptable that, while the world stands by in silence and acquiescence, independent journalists who write the truth about totalitarian regimes are systematically tortured. My Colleagues, we must demand the immediate and unconditional release of Alejandro Gonzalez Raga and every political prisoner in totalitarian Cuba.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about Hector Raul Valle Hernandez, a political prisoner in totalitarian Cuba. Mr. Valle Hernandez is a pro-democracy leader, the vice president of the Confederation of Democratic Workers of Cuba and an activist in the Pro Human Rights Party. According to Amnesty International, on November 16, 2002, he was interrogated by Castor's thugs and told to stop his activities against the totalitarian regime. Despite the constant harassment, violence, and repression directed at him by the tyrant, Mr. Valle Hernandez continued to advocate for human rights and democracy. In March 2003, as part of Castro's condemnable crackdown on peaceful pro-democracy activists, he was arrested. In a sham trial, he was sentenced to 12 years in the totalitarian gulag. Mr. Valle Hernandez is currently languishing in the abhorrent gulag because of his belief in liberty for the Cuban people. According to Amnesty International, Mr. Valle Hernandez' family has been harassed and his wife has been ``summoned'' for taking part in opposition activities. Let me be very clear, Mr. Valle Hernandez is locked in a totalitarian dungeon that the U.S. State Department describes as, ``harsh and life threatening.'' His wife and family are harassed and threatened, yet Mr. Valle Hernandez and his family have not stopped demanding human rights, labor rights, and freedom for the people of Cuba. Mr. Valle Hernandez is a wonderful example of the heroism of the Cuban people. No matter how intense the repression, no matter how horrifically brutal the consequences of a dignified struggle for liberty, no matter how often their families are harassed and threatened, the totalitarian gulags are full of men and women of all backgrounds and ages who represent the best of the Cuban nation. Mr. Speaker, it is as inconceivable as it is unacceptable that, while the world stands by in silence and acquiescence, political prisoners are systematically tortured because of their belief in freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. My Colleagues, we must demand the immediate and unconditional release of Hector Raul Valle Hernandez and every political prisoner in totalitarian Cuba.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. My understanding of this, of the many amendments that Mr. Flake has filed with regard to matters that would increase currency to the regime, this amendment states that he wants to tie the President's hands from issuing any further regulations that could have the effect of changing the current regulation that does permit religious travel to Cuba. So I want it to be clear, there is currently a category in U.S. law that permits travel for religious purposes to Cuba. What the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Flake) is saying is, well, I do not know if in the future the President could do something that I disagree with, and so I want to prohibit something the President may do in the future with this amendment. For example, the regime, colleagues, I am sure are aware of the fact, has had about 15 spies arrested in the United States in the last 3 or 4 years. If the administration should find that the religious travel category were being utilized to either train spies or intensify the efforts of Cuban state security against the United States, this amendment would prohibit the President from issuing, in effect, further regulations on that. Religious travel is legal. That is not being debated at this time. What the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Flake) is saying is that he wants to tie the hands of the President in the future with regard to one of the six remaining terrorist states in the world. It is wrong. We should not tie the President's hands, and so I oppose the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez). (Mr. MENENDEZ asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim the time in opposition to the amendment. Mr. Chairman, it is interesting how amendments make themselves to the floor, find their way to the floor with regard to the Cuban terrorist dictatorship, with language of freedom, talking about education, talking about reunification, talking about students. Over 100 pro-democracy activists, leaders in Cuba met last month at great risk to their lives and to their families' lives, and they met publicly for the first time in 46 years. They held a convention. Many of them were not permitted to arrive. State security kept them in their homes, threw them in prison, but over 100 did arrive at the convention. They met there and for the first time in 46 years they had elections and they elected leaders of the prodemocracy movement. They issued positions calling for the release of political prisoners and democracy, free elections. And they sent us a letter, Mr. Chairman, signed June 24, the three leaders of the Assembly to Promotes Civil Society. They asked us in this letter with great respect for the decisions of a sovereign Congress, to reject each and every amendment that was going to be presented this week, either completely or partially eliminating sanctions against the dictatorship. And the dictator, Mr. Chairman, has gone on his state television, obviously, the only channel that belongs to him, and has said, ``A severe response'' awaits those mercenaries. The omnipotent, totalitarian dictator, Mr. Chairman, until one day, omnipotent, goes on television and says ``a severe response'' awaits. The Cuban people know what that means. At any moment these leaders or their families will be thrown in dungeons and subjected to the torture that thousands of political prisoners are subjected to in Cuba each day and hundreds of thousands have been subjected to for 46 years. Now, this letter, should we give it the credence and authority and respect that its courage, its heroism demands? I believe we should. This is a very serious issue. We have a policy to help the Cuban people and not the jailers of the Cuban people, not the oppressors of the Cuban people. Mr. Chairman, how much time is remaining?

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on the amendment.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Chairman, the reason that President Bush implemented these regs, the reason we have an embargo is because we want the political prisoners freed, because we want political parties legalized, labor unions legalized, the press legalized, and elections scheduled, and we want to retain the leverage of those billions of dollars in travel until the dictatorship releases political prisoners. And you know something, yes, there is pain involved in the Cuban tragedy. But the pain comes from the tragedy of the dictatorship and not because of our policies.

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I make a point of order.