Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, my colleague brings up CNN, which is totally ludicrous because the Cuban people are denied the basic food by the Castro regime, he saves that for the tourists. CNN is broadcast in the tourist hotels which by law the Cuban people cannot use. They cannot use those pools, they cannot use the beaches by law. My colleague is speaking about a broadcast that does not reach the Cuban people, but I think the gentleman would be interested in knowing how the journalists, including CNN, are treated in Cuba and this just came through the wire today, and I will read it, the Reuter story. Communist-ruled Cuba, whose own media is state-controlled, has introduced new regulations for foreign media, including a stipulation that accredited foreign journalists must be objective in their reporting. And this is by Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina, one of Castro's thugs. So he has now a form for these foreign journalists to fill out, and I say to the gentleman who supports freedom for journalist to please speak about this. I would love to yield to my distinguished colleague to have him react to how the Cuban regime treats journalists in Cuba.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Would the gentleman please react to this new directive by Castro's thug, Mr. Robaina, who wants new regulations for foreign media?

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Oh, so we are similar to Castro's Cuba, I see.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, this past week we were once again reminded of the lengths that the Cuban people will resort to to sink freedom from the repressive regime. Eleven Cuban refugees were rescued by the excellent men and women of our United States Coast Guard after being spotted by an aircraft of the humanitarian group, Brothers to the Rescue. The refugees had spent 17 days in an isolated area of the Bahamas known as Dog Key. Dog Key, Mr. Speaker, is nothing but a rock, a big rock in the middle of the ocean. For 2 weeks the refugees had little to drink or to eat. They ate snails and birds to survive in the middle of the ocean. One of the refugees, Rolando Martinez Montoya, would break snail shells with his teeth so that his children who accompanied him on this horrible journey would be able to at least eat the inside of the snails. Unfortunately, Mr. Martinez' daughter, Camilla Martinez, only 4 years old, and his step daughter, only 13 years old, died at Dog Key last week. Twenty-six-year-old Leonin Ojeda Rivas also died after complaining of chest pains soon after trying to swim toward a passing ship in a desperate attempt to be rescued. Mr. Speaker, the tragic search of these Cuban refugees for freedom portrays the picture of desperation that the Cuban people feel under the Castro dictatorship. Unfortunately, the American people never learned of this story in the so-called mainstream media. It was not in the major newspapers, nor in the television networks. Why? Because the press prefers to promote Castro's propaganda of Cuba as a tourist paradise rather than exert some effort in reporting the repression subjected on the people of the island every day. Just this past Sunday, the Washington Post travel section had a lengthy piece on how to travel to Cuba. The story's author, Elinor Lander Horwitz, could barely control her excitement about being in the forbidden island as she walked past children engulfed in poverty, the deteriorated beauty of Havana, and the lack of the most basic needs such as soap that the Cuban people endure daily. The author soothes her guilt of, as she calls it, of having a good time while being surrounded in this poverty by handing out two pesos to a poor Cuban child. Oh, wow. Now she can return once again to her paradise vacation. Throughout the article, not one word, not one single word, is mentioned about the destruction caused on Cuba by the Castro tyranny and the misery that has resulted from it. However, she makes sure to provide tips on how to circumvent the United States embargo in order to travel to Cuba. I wonder, Mr. Speaker, what led these refugees I have described earlier tonight to leave the paradise that this author so aptly describes? Is it the lack of human rights under Castro, the lack of civil rights under the last totalitarian dictatorship of the hemisphere? The complete mismanagement of the Cuban economy by the Communist elite, the complete control of the population by Castro's police state? I venture to say that it was a combination of all of these put together. Cuba remains, whether the Washington Post or other publications admit it, a repressive totalitarian state. Just ask Ana Maria Agramonte, a prominent Cuban dissident who was recently sentenced to 18 months in prison for contempt against the regime. It is clear that the paradise as portrayed by the Washington Post must feel like hell for Ms. Agramonte and the rest of her compatriots who have to endure Castro's brutality. Let us hope that the press will one day wake up to the horrors of the Castro's tyranny, to the repressive police state, to the complete lack of, and the violation of the most basic of civil rights. Mr. Speaker, I insert for the Record the article from the Washington Post by Elinor Lander Horwitz which I earlier referred to. [From the Washington Post, May 18, 1997] Return to a Forbidden Island in impoverished cuba, nothing--and everything--has changed (By Elinor Lander Horwitz) Maritza smiles wistfully and passes her tongue slowly over her lips. ``The `52s and `53s are best,'' she says. ``Fifty-four was not so good a year, but `55--it was really excellent.'' She's not talking wine: She's talking Chevrolets. Parked randomly along a street near the Plaza de Armas in Havana's old city, where she has taken me sightseeing, is a particularly dense grouping of 40- to 50-year-old American cars, predominantly Chevrolets plus one Dodge, an Oldsmobile, a Buick and a Plymouth. These are not rich people's collectibles. They are poor people's means of transportation. Maritza, a Cuban woman whom a friend had urged me to contact, casts a connoisseur's eye on a red-and-white, wide-finned 1953 relic parked next to her midget 1972 Polish-made Fiat. How in the world do the owners get replacement parts? She laughs at my simple-minded question. ``We make them, we improvise,'' she says. ``Cubans are very good mechanics.'' I feel caught in a time warp. The decaying Chevys--the very ones I might have seen hot off the assembly line more than four decades ago--suddenly take on the status of metaphor for the once elegant, now deteriorating city. This is the second visit my husband, Norman, and I have made to Havana. The first, a few years before the 1959 revolution, was on our honeymoon. I was a college student-bride who longed to go abroad, and Havana was the only patch of abroad we could afford. And it was so easy to get there! This time we arrived via three tedious flights: Washington to Miami, Miami to Nassau, and Nassau to Havana. With long waits in between. We carried impeccable visas and letters from the U.S. Treasury Department and our sponsoring organization verifying our permission to visit (there are severe restrictions for U.S. citizens trying to travel to Cuba). Norman, a neurosurgeon, was coming as a volunteer with an international relief agency in a program it runs jointly with the Cuban Ministry of Heath. He would spend a week conferring with colleagues, examining patients, teaching interns and residents, and presenting research material. I was licensed to tag along. Earlier participants in the program had given us the names of people they'd met here, which is how I came to know Maritza and a number of other engaging Habaneros. We had always hoped to return to Havana and, according to the laminated Cubana Airlines boarding pass I handed over as I boarded the flimsy-looking old Russian plane in Nassau, the feeling was mutual. ``Cuba te espera,'' it said in decorating script. ``Cuba is waiting for you.'' The bright yellow card was decorated with three red hearts. The 1950s Cuba, under the repressive rule of Fulgencio Batista, had plenty to offer American tourists. It was romantic, and it was glossy! Most people stayed in the pricey and glamorous Hotel Nacional, with its luxurious accommodations, highly regarded dining room and nightclub, and private talcum powder beach. We stayed at the Ambos Mundos on Obispo Street, in the heart of Old Havana. Hemingway, still very much alive when we first visited the island, had lived in the Ambos Mundos while writing-- depending on your informant--either ``A Farewell to Arms'' or ``For Whom the Bell Tolls.'' We ogled the room he had occupied, dined at the rooftop restaurant where he had often dined, and drank daiquiris at the Floridita, which we were assured was his favorite bar. When we had dinner at a sidewalk cafe, ragged children came up to the table and begged for the bread on our table. We gave them that and pesos and smiles, and we told each other it was wrong to be having such a good time in a country where so many lived in unconscionable splendor while others didn't have enough to eat. And then a man with a guitar strolled over to our table and began to sing while we held hands across the table and blissfully dug into dinner. Maritza is amused by my honeymoon tales. First stop on our 1996 tour is the Ambos Mundos. The hotel was closed for many years and has been in the process of renovation for many more. The place is entirely gutted and a man on the ground is sending a small bucket of plaster up to the fifth floor on a pulley-and-rope contraption. A pamphlet I've picked up says that you can learn about the life of Ernest Hemingway by staying there. ``Ambos Mundos Hotel will open up in summer 1996 with 53 rooms of which 4 suites,'' it promises, but it is now fall, and it still looks like it's going to be a while. Nearby, in the palace occupied by Batista way back then, is the Museo de la Revolucion. There are photographs of the rebels in the mountains, bloody shirts and pants, canteens, rifles, the engine of an American plane shot down over the Bay of Pigs, and other mementos of turbulent times. One display, titled in English ``The Hall of Cretins,'' features huge, cartoonish figures of Batista in military garb, Ronald Reagan dressed as a cowboy and George Bush dressed as a Roman senator. Above the figure of Reagan, the caption says, ``Thank you cretin for strengthening the Revolution.'' Bush's caption is, ``Thank you cretin for consolidating the Revolution.'' In the nearby Plaza de la Catedral, craftspeople hawk costume jewelry, maracas, woodcarvings and other knickknacks. Che Guevara's face appears on key rings, ashtrays and T- shirts. Why doesn't Castro's face appear on T-shirts and key rings? I ask Maritza. ``It wouldn't be respectful,'' she says, and it's impossible to determine whether her inflection is dead serious or mocking. I am trying hard to recapture the city I remember. One afternoon Norman and I journey uptown to peek furtively into the splendidly tiled lobby of the Hotel Nacional, fearful of being accosted and asked whether we are paying guests. (Reopened and refurbished after years of being shut down, the hotel is as handsome and crowded as ever.) We gape at the splendid Spanish colonial mansions on the tree-lined avenues of the Vedado and Miramar districts. And then we retreat to the colorful narrow streets and shady squares of Old Havana, where we remember Cubans strolling, singing aloud. Our memories of this are so vivid, it must have been true, although there is no evidence of such today. West of Old Havana is the Vedado neighborhood and our hotel, the Victoria, which is across the street from a row of picturesquely decaying Spanish colonial mansions, now occupied by many poor families. Up close, things aren't quite so picturesque. Laundry hangs from the windows, balusters are missing from the galleried rooftops, stairs are broken, garden statues are headless, yards are littered with trash. Nothing has been painted or repaired in decades. And venturing out at night onto the darkened, crumbling sidewalks and streets--where hordes of bikes without lights scoot by-- is dangerous whether or not you encounter the street crime everyone warns about (we didn't). Tourism has been revived in Havana, and crowds of Europeans, Asians, South Americans, Canadians and a much smaller number of Americans can be seen in the more celebrated restaurants. There is the luxurious new Melia Cohiba hotel, a joint venture between Cuba and Spain; much talk of further foreign investment in tourism; and work is going on around the clock on a new airport. Baseball games and performances by the excellent national ballet company provide stimulating entertainment, yet information about schedules is difficult to glean. Restaurant food ranges from so-so to bad. The Cubans we invited to dine with us all chose paladares--the small, often-excellent restaurants families are now permitted to run in their own apartments. Families licensed to establish a paladar may set up no more than 12 chairs, arranged in whatever grouping of tables they prefer. Some paladares have signs, but most are known only through word of mouth. You ring a doorbell and enter a lobby, push the button for the proper floor and walk into someone's living room, where tables are prettily set and family members graciously rush to serve you. At one paladar, we are seated on a breezy balcony, overlooking the water. At another, a particularly pleasant three-course dinner with assorted tasty appetizers set up on a small buffet table, a roast lamb entree and dessert of a rich fig pudding costs $12 a person, including beer and coffee. These paladares, named for a family-run restaurant dubbed Paladar in a popular Brazilian TV sitcom, are one of the few forms of self-employment now permitted in Cuba. Since they accept payment only in U.S. dollars, paladar owners have the means to buy a wide range of foods at the hard-currency stores. The Hemingway shtick is still going strong here. Several restaurants and bars in the old city claim to have been his favorite. One of these, the tiny crowded La Bodeguita del Medio, a block from the cathedral, still has ambiance aplenty. Since the 1920s, customers have carved their names on wood paneling, and there's no more space. Above the bar is a blow-up of a scrawled message by the great man himself. ``The best mojitos are at the Bodeguita,'' it reads. ``The best daiquiris at the Floridita. Ernest Hemingway.'' Squeezed into a corner, in full view of this snippet of immortal prose, we order a mojito. It arrives in a tall glass, jammed with what appears to be seaweed but is, in fact, very soggy mint, and filled with a watery rum, lemon and sugar mixture. An undistinguished meal is tossed at us irritably. It is almost heartening to find that there still are tourist traps in Havana. Just about everything is in short supply in this underdeveloped island country. Everyone is short of soap, and I lift a few tiny bars from the hotel maid's cart and pass them along to my new friends. All food is rationed. Staples-- rice and beans--are cheap and abundant, although milk is available only for children under 7. At the Hotel Victoria, the milk is made from powder and manages to be foamy and lumpy at the same time. Meat, chicken and fish are not generally available, and at the time of our visit, the egg ration was seven a month. Each person is permitted one piece of bread a day. Cubans call this a periodo especial, a special period that date from the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the sudden cessation of what had been lavish subsidies. Gas, electricity, public transportation--all are in very short supply. When the periodic blackouts occur, not only the lights go out, but also the water, which is pumped by electricity. The glittering and bustling tropical city I remember is a drab and quiet place today. For decades, there has been no money to maintain buildings and streets. Automotive traffic is light at all times. Gas, at $4 a gallon, is too expensive for most Cubans, who earn on average $12 to $15 a month. I ask a highly placed government official what he hopes, expects, fears the future will bring if Castro, now a fit- looking 70-year-old, retires? He laughs at the notion of retirement. ``When Fidel dies,'' he says, ``people won't be ready for raw capitalism. That's certain. They think they want more free enterprise, but they are too accustomed to free education and health care to ever give that up. It will be some sort of socialism. ``Don't misunderstand,'' he adds, when I ask about the one piece of bread a day. ``things here are difficult now, but there is absolutely no question that life under Batista was far worse for most Cubans. What you have to recognize is this: Cuba has always had one corrupt form of government or another.'' While we are in Havana, everyone is talking about the International Trade Fair, an annual event that showcases products from countries worldwide (72 of them at this fair). Finally, I decide to go to the new exposition grounds outside the city with Roberto, a translator for the medical program that brought us to Cuba. The fair is jammed with people. Cuba is displaying pharmaceuticals, rum and cigars, and there are sparkling new cars from Japan and France, shoes from Italy, tablecloths from Mexico, furniture from Canada and children's clothing from Panama. As Roberto seats himself longingly behind the wheel of a shiny little yellow Fiat mounted on a revolving stand, my eye falls on an Argentinean food exporter's display of Oreo cookies, Ritz crackers, Libby's Vienna Sausages, Wrigley gum, M&M candies, Kellogg's Frosted Flakes and Froot Loops. Will Cuban children get to eat Froot Loops despite the U.S. embargo? Roberto rolls his eyes, but declines further comment. I buy lunch at a sunbaked outdoor cafe, and we dine greedily on a cholesterol nightmare of fried chicken, french fries, beer and ice cream. Four musicians--two guitar players, a man on a bongo drum and another on maracas-- suddenly appear at my elbow, grinning with mock flirtatiousness and breaking into the songs their fathers sang to diners in the cafes of Obispo Street in the 1950s: ``Besame Mucho'' and ``Perfidia.'' I am overcome with nostalgia and tip generously, and they repeat the two songs over and over. And then, with almost manic zest, they break into a long song about Che Guevara. The next day, at the airport gate, waiting hours for our return flight, we Americans--doctors, missionaries, journalists--exchange stories about the charm of the people we've met and the hardships we've witnessed. No one has answers. The airport's air conditioning has been turned off to save electricity. Everyone is hot and avid to leave. But everyone wants to return ``someday.'' ``Bring soap,'' we remind each other. ``Next time don't forget to bring everyone a few bars of soap.'' ways & means Tourist travel to Cuba is severely restricted by the U.S. government. To travel to Cuba legally, Americans must have a passport and visa and obtain a license from the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (1500 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, D.C. 20020, 202-622- 2480). OFAC has a fax-back system (202-622-0077) offering a dozen documents detailing the guidelines associated with travel to Cuba. Those who may visit Cuba under an official Treasury Department license include: journalists who are regularly employed by a news organization; official government travelers; members of international organizations of which the United States is also a member, traveling on official business; persons making a once-a-year visit to relatives in Cuba in circumstances of extreme humanitarian need; and travelers who have received specific licenses from OFAC before they go. These legitimate travelers can bring home $100 worth of Cuban goods. A number of air and travel providers are authorized by the Treasury Department to arrange trips to Cuba for qualified travelers. One of the best known, Marazul Tours (4100 Park Ave., Weekauken, N.J. 07087, 1-800-223-5334), will advise you about eligibility and the procedure for obtaining a Treasury license. Once you obtain the license, the agency will provide a visa, plane tickets and hotel reservations. For groups, it can set up a program in Cuba if needed. Visa information also is available from the Cuban Interest Section, 2369 16th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20009, 202-797- 8518. Despite the restrictions, there are indeed American tourists in Cuba. Plane tickets to Cuba and a visa--a separate tourist card--can be obtained in Canada, Mexico or the Bahamas. But beware. Attempts to catch U.S. tourists returning from Cuba have been stepped up, and U.S. Customs officials may now greet you in Nassau or Cancun as you step off your flight.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, 95 years ago yesterday, May 20, the island of Cuba gained its independence after a long fought struggle against the Spanish crown. Sadly, while millions of free Cubans outside the island celebrated this proud day, for the 11 million Cubans still living under the brutal totalitarian dictatorship of the Castro regime, it was just another day in the persistent struggle to reclaim the freedoms gained after independence from Spain but lost with the rise of Fidel Castro to power. Yet Cuba's new freedom fighters face similar repressive measures as those who led the struggle for Cuban independence in the 1800's. As the Interamerican Human Rights Commission recently reported, in today's Cuba the harassment, accusations, adoption of disciplinary measures, and prison sentences for persons who peacefully display their disagreement with the political regime in place have persisted. The report adds that those who work against the regime are accused of enemy propaganda, contempt, and rebellion. It is for them that Cuba's independence leader, Jose Marti, wrote, ``The sufferings endured for the sake of winning freedom make us love it the more.''

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, next Tuesday, May 20, marks the 95th anniversary since the island of Cuba gained its independence. The history of that beautiful nation has been measured, in large part, by the struggle of its people to overcome tyrannies that have attempted to rule over the island--first the Spanish crown, and today, another destructive dictatorship, that of Fidel Castro. Under the Castro dictatorship, the people of the island enjoy no semblance of human rights or civil rights. Dissidents, independent journalists, and human rights activists are routinely harassed, arrested, and imprisoned. Others are murdered by the Castro Communist elite that allows no opposition to its repressive policies. Many of the names of those who have been subject to the torturous reign of the Castro regime, men and women, black and white, may never be known. The immorality of the Castro dictatorship is equaled by the willingness by many of our European allies, Canada, and Mexico to trade with the Castro regime despite them knowing that it only serves to strengthen his grip on power. As we approach the 96th anniversary of the first time the Cuban flag flew alone over Cuba, let us remember that only 90 miles from the greatest democracy on earth, 11 million Cubans yearn for the freedoms we in the United States take for granted.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, the Social Security Administration has informed recipients of SSI benefits, that is the elderly over 64, blind and disabled, that they will lose their benefits in August. These legal residents, who have received this notice, total 800,000 people; 800,000 elderly folks who will be left to their own resources to survive. Out of this group of 800,000 people, Mr. Chairman, is Mary Solanes, a 72-year-old elderly woman who is a constituent of my congressional district, who not only was a victim of Hurricane Andrew that destroyed her home, but also then became a victim of building contractor fraud. To make her situation even worse, Mary Solanes will have to fend for herself without the aid of SSI benefits, even though she has custody of her two minor grandchildren after her daughter was murdered by the children's father. We, as Representatives of the people, should not make this poor, elderly woman, who has endured the loss of her home twice over, as well as the murder of her daughter, have to survive without any help whatsoever. The SSI check that Mary Solanes receives is the only means of sustenance that she has to support herself and her grandchildren. Add to the list another constituent of my district, Mr. Jose Jimenez, a 90-year-old man, who was the father of a Korean War veteran. Jose came from Cuba with an affidavit of support signed by his son. Unfortunately for him, shortly after he arrived, his son, the Korean War veteran died, leaving him alone without knowing where to go and without being eligible for any kind of support. If we were to cut this poor, 90-year-old man's benefit, he will surely be homeless. Further add to the list another one of my constituents, Consuelo Brito, a 92-year-old elderly woman who is bound to a wheelchair and blind. She has attempted repeatedly to take the citizenship test, but has failed all attempts. Consuelo, again, is 92 years old, bound to a wheelchair and blind. Where should a poor, elderly lady like Consuelo go if she loses her SSI benefits? Do we honestly believe that she will be hired by someone? Obviously not. Finally, consider the case of Onesia Bueno, an 82-year-old woman, also a constituent of my district, who has no one here to look after her. Her husband, a former political prisoner in Cuba, died in 1980, leaving her alone. Ironically enough, her husband suffered at the hands of Cuba's tyranny for his crime of helping the United States during World War II. She faces homelessness without Social Security supplemental assistance. This amendment will at least carry her over for a few more weeks. Because of these examples and hundreds like them, just based in my own congressional district, we urge our colleagues to consider the amendment that would extend the elimination of benefit cutoff dates to Mary, to Jose, to Consuelo, to Onesia, and all of the elderly. Folks far over the age of 64 are in desperate need of assistance. They are all individuals who unfortunately will be left to their own resources to survive and who are far too old or disabled to work. We cannot as legislators cut aid to those who need it the most and to those who have no other option to sustain themselves because of their age or disability. Because we cannot forsake Mary, Jose, Consuelo, Onesia and many others, I implore my colleagues, therefore, to pass this amendment, not only for the good of these elderly who are so desperately in need, but to fulfill the duty of our occupations, as members of Congress, to represent all of the people, including the elderly, the poor and the disabled. This amendment could not have been presented here today without the support, guidance and leadership of the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Shaw], the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Diaz-Balart], the gentlewoman from Florida [Mrs. Meek], the gentleman from Rhode Island [Mr. Kennedy], and many others who have worked on a bipartisan basis to help the elderly, the poor, and the disabled.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, several members of the south Florida congressional delegation have been working on an amendment that the Committee on Rules, under the leadership of the gentleman from New York, Mr. Jerry Solomon, has made in order, that would postpone the August 22 cutoff date of SSI payments to U.S. legal residents and extend the payment of these benefits until September 30. My colleagues from Florida, Mrs. Carrie Meek, Mr. Lincoln Diaz- Balart, and Mr. Clay Shaw, and many other Members of Congress have worked in a bipartisan manner to help legal residents who reside in this country legally, who pay their taxes, who came here seeking Democratic freedoms from tyranny or economic opportunity and prosperity for their children. It is these same individuals who are now members of our elderly population who live in terror that their sustenance, their SSI benefits, will be cut off. SSI benefits, as all of us know, apply only to those who are over 64 years of age, blind or disabled. They are not a free ride. They are a means of survival for our elderly and disabled who have no other way to sustain themselves. How can we, Mr. Speaker, as legislators and representatives of these same people, their children and their grandchildren explain to them that even though they have worked and paid their taxes and served their country they will have to fend for themselves?

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. Along with the gentlewoman from Florida, Mrs. Carrie Meek, the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, the gentleman from Rhode Island, Mr. Patrick Kennedy, the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Clay Shaw, the gentlewoman from Connecticut, Mrs. Nancy Johnson, and many others, we have been working on a bipartisan amendment to extend SSI benefits until September 30, and we are glad to see it in this bill. The Supplemental Security Income program, SSI, is designed to help the poor who are elderly, disabled, or blind. These folks who receive SSI now but are not U.S. citizens, even though they are U.S. residents, would normally be receiving their last SSI check very soon. August 22 is to be the last date of their availability for this very needed benefit. Now with this bipartisan amendment which is included in this bill, these poor, sick, elderly, law-abiding, legal U.S. residents will get an extension of this assistance. Through the leadership of the Republican Senator of New York, Al D'Amato, the Senate passed this SSI extension last week with an overwhelming vote of 89 in favor and only 11 against. On the House side, with the leadership of the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Clay Shaw, and the gentleman from New York, Mr. Jerry Solomon, these poor residents will also now get the same extension. This will give the Social Security Administration and other Federal agencies the time to implement changes in the benefits that we hope to be making soon, if we are successful in passing the balanced budget amendment and the plan which will restore Federal benefits for all legal U.S. residents who get now SSI benefits. Mr. Speaker, as a Representative and a resident of the 18th District of Florida, I encounter on a daily basis constituents who are legal residents who have resided in this country for many years, who have paid their taxes, many of whom served this country, whose children and grandchildren were born in this country, and who live in fear, constant fear of that August 22 date when their Social Security supplemental benefits, for many of them their basic sustenance, will be eliminated. How, then, do we justify this elimination of these benefits to those who are eligible? Congress is going to do the right thing to vote for the people, protect the people, and this bill does exactly that.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I wish to add my support for this resolution honoring Chaim Herzog, former President of Israel and friend of America. When Chaim Herzog gave that tremendously moving speech at the United Nations, he was defending not only Israel, but democracy and decency everywhere. The United Nations which condemned Zionism also gave Fidel Castro a standing ovation. The fight for moral values which Chaim Herzog carried out with such courage, still continues. In this very Chamber, Chaim Herzog addressed a joint meeting of this Congress on November 10, 1987, the anniversary of his U.N. speech and of Kristallnacht, the Nazi riots that signaled the beginning of the Holocaust in 1938. Chaim Herzog will be missed, but will always be remembered.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would first like to recognize and acknowledge the wonderful support that all of the women Members of Congress have received from the gentlewoman from Connecticut [Mrs. Johnson] and the Delegate from the District of Columbia [Ms. Norton]. They have done a spectacular job of leading the charge on behalf of women in the United States, and we congratulate them for their leadership not only on women's health care that we are discussing tonight but on a myriad of issues as well. I would like to briefly address the problem of women's health care as it relates in my community to Hispanic women. Hispanic women are of particular importance to the health care system not only as recipients of care themselves but as the member of the family most likely to deal with health care providers on behalf of children and the elderly. The health care system must learn how to deliver medical care to women that are in tune with their cultural realities. It must be pointed out that Hispanic women are part of one of the fastest growing populations in the United States and, as such, deserve special attention by those who deliver health care. There are already 27 million people of Hispanic origin in our country, and in my area of south Florida there are nearly 1 million Hispanics. A doctor who is unaware of the cultural framework of her patient will find her job that much harder. A doctor is unaware of how cancer is viewed by some Hispanic women, for example, and may have trouble arriving at the correct diagnosis and then have to deal with the complications that follow delayed detection. The Hispanic female population is not monolithic. The differences run the gamut from different countries of origin to different regions of those countries, from different educational levels to various lengths of time in this country. It is important that we address the health care needs and the concerns of Hispanic women and to develop plans that will work in harmony with our cultural traditions. Hispanic women, for example, are less likely to enjoy the full benefits of our Nation's health care system. Part of this stems from the fact that 22 percent of Hispanic women are uninsured as compared to 13 percent of non-Hispanic women. As a result of underinsurance and for various cultural reasons, many Hispanic women are unlikely to receive preventative health care. For example, 39 percent of Hispanic women did not have a pap smear last year as opposed to 27 percent of the general female population who also did not have a pap smear. And 46 percent of Hispanic women did not undergo a pelvic exam last year as compared to 30 percent of the general female population who did not have such an exam. Mr. Speaker, to eliminate this disparity in preventative care, we need to develop a comprehensive strategy to educate both the medical profession as well as the underserved Hispanic women to deal with medical and cultural realities. I urge the medical profession, our government and the entire spectrum of health care providers to focus on this rapidly growing population and find new ways to reach out and provide preventative care. I congratulate once again the gentlewoman from Connecticut [Mrs. Johnson] and the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia [Ms. Norton] for leading the charge on behalf of all women everywhere.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize La Progresiva Presbyterian School for its 25th school year anniversary. The Presbyterian school, La Progresiva, was founded in Cardenas, Cuba, by a North American missionary named Dr. Robert L. Wharton on the 11th of November, 1900. On that day, La Progresiva opened its doors with only 14 students and with the reading of the first book of Corinthians chapter. The school developed into one of the finest educational establishments of Cuba, expanding its facilities to accommodate the increasing enrollment of students. Its growing reputation as a fine center of learning, however, was put to a stop in 1961 with the arrival of communism in the island. Communism was able to put an end to the material aspect of La Progresiva in Cardenas, but it could never destroy the spirit and ideals which still remained alive. So in September 1971, with the help of the First Spanish Presbyterian Church of Miami and the alumni of the old La Progresiva, the new Progresiva opened its doors. It started with humble beginnings in much the same way it predecessor had. Like the old school, this new one grew in popularity and as a result of the increasing demand for enrollment, La Progresiva added another wing to its main building in 1978. The school continued its expansion adding more classrooms to accommodate the demand for admittance into the school. Along with growing in educational capacity, La Progresiva also bettered itself in the athletic department, improving over the years in its sports and, presently, plans are being discussed for a gymnasium. The Progresiva spirit has prevailed through the years to produce a center of learning which will stand long into the future and one which makes all Progresivistas proud. On this, La Progresivas' 25th school year anniversary, the school's motto is stronger than ever: ``Una Vez de La Progresiva, Siempre de La Progresiva.''

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, two of the many freedoms suppressed by the Castro dictatorship over its 37 years of totalitarian rule have been academic and intellectual freedom that once were a source of great pride in a democratic Cuba. All books that the Castro regime considered against its interests were systematically banned, all individuals who supported ideas other than the ones the dictatorship favored were exiled, harassed, incarcerated, or murdered. Fortunately, many of the great books of Cuban history and publications of Cuban writers and intellectuals are now being preserved in the United States at the Cuban Collection of the University of Miami's Otto G. Richter Library. The Cuban Collection at the University of Miami is the largest collection of its kind outside of Cuba, superseding even the collection at the Library of Congress. The awesome collection contains materials from all periods of Cuba's history and attracts thousands of researchers every year from all parts of the world. Some of its unique holdings include an 1895 photograph of Cuban Mambises who fought for Cuba's independence from Spain, miniature letters from Cuban political prisoners, and copies dating from 1832 of Diario de la Marina, the oldest newspaper in Cuba and the Americas until its operation was forcefully shut down by the Castro dictatorship. South Florida is proud to have among its many assets this outstanding collection that helps keep alive Cuba's history through this dark period of repression that has engulfed the island.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, once again this body has been given the opportunity to draw a line against barbarism and brutality by outlawing a form of infanticide known as partial-birth abortion. I will not belabor the gruesome details. All of us understand the mechanics of this horrendous procedure. Despite the myths that were promulgated by the abortion industry, we know that this procedure is designed to camouflage infanticide as a therapy. We have all heard how Ron Fitzsimmons of the National Coalition of Abortion Providers confessed to having lied to defend the indefensible. The fact that Fitzsimmons was misleading people was already known last year. In a Wall Street Journal article, a number of doctors had already refuted the myths last year that had been put forward about this procedure. They pointed out that the defenders of this procedure first claimed that the abortion practice did not exist. Then they claimed that the child, yes the child, was already killed by anesthesia. That also turned out to be false. The fact is that this horror is real and that 80 percent of the time this brutal procedure is elective. While the goal of this legislation is to put an end to this particularly horrifying procedure, I believe that the debate surrounding this legislation has served to remind the American people about the true nature of abortion, that a child is killed. It is the sacred nature of each child's life that compels this legislation. We take this step not only to blot out a particularly blatant horror but to affirm the value of life, however helpless. As with the case with partial-birth abortion, when the shocking reality of abortion is made clear and the euphemisms are dispelled, the pro-life position prevails. It is time to draw a line against such child abuse and vote in favor of this bill and in favor of life.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize La Progresiva Presbyterian School for its 25th school year anniversary. The Presbyterian school, La Progresiva, was founded in Cardenas, Cuba by a North American missionary named Dr. Robert L. Wharton on the 11th of November, 1900. On that day, La Progresiva opened its doors with only 14 students and with the reading of the first book of Corinthians chapter. The school developed into one of the finest educational establishments of Cuba, expanding its facilities to accommodate the increasing enrollment of students. Its growing reputation as a fine center of learning, however, was put to a stop in 1961 with the arrival of communism in the island. Communism was able to put an end to the material aspect of La Progresiva in Cardenas, but it could never destroy the spirit and ideals which still remained alive. So in September 1971, with the help of the First Spanish Presbyterian Church of Miami and the alumni of the old La Progresiva, the new Progresiva opened its doors. It started with humble beginnings in much the same way its predecessor had. Like the old school, this new one grew in popularity and as a result of the increasing demand for enrollment, La Progresiva added another wing to its main building in 1978. The school continued its expansion adding more classrooms to accommodate the demand for admittance into the school. Along with growing in educational capacity, La Progresiva also bettered itself in the athletic department, improving over the years in its sports and, presently, plans are being discussed for a gymnasium. The Progresiva spirit has prevailed through the years to produce a center of learning which will stand long into the future and one which makes all ``Progresivistas'' proud. On this, La Progresivas' 25th school year anniversary, the school's motto is stronger than ever: ``Una Vez de La Progresiva, Siempre de La Progresiva.''

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to join my colleagues today in remembering the 176th anniversary Greek Independence Day. I especially wish to thank my friend and fellow Floridian, Congressman Mike Bilirakis, and my other good friend, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, for calling the special order to raise the public's awareness of the history of Greece and the important role Greece has played in the United States and the world. When we celebrate Greek Independence Day we need to note that March 25 is not the day that all of Greece gained its independence. March 25 was the day that Athens and a small portion of Greece gained independence and then areas populated by Greeks were liberated one by one until we have the Greece of today. It has often been said Greece's great gift to the United States and to the world is the governmental system of democracy. Well that is indeed a great gift which has brought much happiness to the world. But, it was the Greek courage, spirit and desire for liberty which helped the world to understand that democracy is the best way for people to join together in common association. The Greek people, through their history, have shown an indomitable will to fight for their freedom. The Greek victories are well known throughout history. There was the Greek war for independence that freed part of Greece from the Ottoman Empire and later during World War II the Nazi invaders. But Greeks have suffered less known tragedies that would have broken the spirit or destroyed a lesser people. Today Greek minorities in Turkey and other places in Eastern Europe are suffering political and religious persecution. That is why this special order is so important. In addition to reminding the American people of their roots to the cradle of democracy in Greece, we need to continue raising the public's awareness of the constant threat Greeks live under in Eastern Europe. The Greek Cypriots in occupied northern Cyprus live under intolerable inhuman conditions since their land was occupied by a military force. Tensions continue to rise around Cyprus and I urge the administration to apply the same degree of commitment to finding a peaceful solution to the Cyprus crisis that it applied to the Bosnian crisis. I introduced legislation last Congress to help relieve the suffering of the enclaved Greek Cypriots and am considering similar legislation in this Congress. We must end the senseless persecution of these brave people. I just hope that the administration does not allow this situation to continue to fester hoping it will go away. Mr. Speaker, the link between the United States and Greece is a strong bond and I believe the United States should thank the Greek people for not just being a good ally to America but for their gifts of our heritage of democracy and individual liberty. I am happy to join my colleagues in celebrating this joyous anniversary. Again, I thank my friends Congressman Bilirakis and Congresswoman Maloney for calling this special order and for their leadership on Hellenic issues.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained on Thursday, March 13 and was unable to be present for rollcall vote No. 50, final passage of H.R. 852, the Paperwork Reduction Act. Had I been present I would have voted ``yea.''

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, as we discuss our relationship with the United Nations this session, I believe one of our priorities should be to seek an end to the isolation within the United Nations of our Democratic ally Israel. Participation in the Security Council as well as all committees of the United Nations is predicated on a country's participation in a regional group. Due to the objections raised by a number of rejectionist States, Israel has been denied membership in its natural geographic group. Israel is therefore shut out of the entire committee system where the real day-to-day work of the United Nations is conducted. One solution is to move beyond mere geography and look to the shared values of the democratic nations of western Europe. This group already spans 3 continents. Together with Congressman Steve Rothman and other colleagues, we have sent a letter to the ambassadors of the western European nations asking them to end Israel's unjust isolation by providing a legal home for their fellow democracy, the State of Israel.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, it was only a year ago today that the Helms-Burton law was signed into law after this Chamber, in all of its wisdom and its support of the oppressed people of Cuba, passed that landmark and historic legislation by an overwhelming majority. A year later the Members of the House of Representatives who supported this bill known as the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act can be proud of casting their vote in favor of the bill because after only 1 year of its implementation, it has proven to be an effective weapon in the battle to rid Cuba of the Castro dictatorship. Mr. Speaker, evidence of the success of the Helms-Burton Act can be found in various statements by top Castro officials who have faulted Helms-Burton for, among other things, the decision by the Mexican conglomerate, Grupo Domos, to withdraw from its agreement to reconstruct Cuba's domestic telecommunications system, and these same Castro officials have stated that Helms-Burton is responsible for the lack of private financing for equipment that is needed for Cuba's important sugar harvest. Just today the Castro regime's foreign minister, Roberto Robaina, on a stop in Brazil, stated that Helms-Burton has had a very strong psychological effect and has frustrated investments. He added that the Cuban economy has not grown as expected in large part due to this legislation. But whether or not Castro's thugs agree that Helms-Burton has been successful or not, it is clear that this legislation has stopped in its tracks Castro's efforts to sell Cuba as an investment paradise, a paradise where workers who enjoy no rights are virtual slaves to the wicked partnership of Castro and the foreign investors who profit from American stolen property. All of this, Mr. Speaker, has taken place despite the failure of the Clinton administration to fully implement the law. The President has ignored congressional intent and has twice waived title III of Helms- Burton. This is the provision that grants American citizens the right to sue in American courts those foreign investors who traffic in their stolen American property in Cuba. Similarly, title IV of the legislation that denies entry to the United States of those officials of corporations that are investing in illegally confiscated American property in Cuba, has only been enforced against two corporations: Sherritt of Canada and Grupo Domos of Mexico, despite evidence that other companies like Spain's hotel builders, Sol- Melia, are doing business with United States confiscated properties. The Castro regime's desperation to silence any support for Helms- Burton inside the island was translated a few months ago into an antidote law that virtually prohibits any positive talk of Helms-Burton on the island. Articles 8 and 9 of this totalitarian law makes it a crime for any Cuban citizen to facilitate the implementation of Helms-Burton. The main victims but not the only victims of this new oppressive law have been the independent journalists on the island who bravely attempt to offer the people of Cuba and the outside world an objective view of the repressive situation on the island. Raul Rivero, who presides over Cuba Press, an independent journalist association in Cuba, and many other colleagues who bravely attempt to break Castro's information monopoly, have been systematically harassed and arrested by Castro's thugs since this draconian law took effect. These journalists are subject to so-called repudiation acts, which are government sponsored mobs, which in the middle of the night scream insults such as ``traitor,'' and in fact they vandalize these reporters' homes. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, many of our allies have followed Castro's lead. They have mounted a campaign of their own to revoke Helms-Burton in order to be able to continue to profit and participate in Castro's slave economy. Mr. Speaker, only by denying Castro the resources he needs to maintain power can we help the people of Cuba in their struggle to eliminate the last dictator of our hemisphere, Fidel Castro.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, 1 year ago today, the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act was signed into law with the overwhelming support of this body. In just 1 year, the Helms-Burton law has successfully served its purpose of protecting the property rights of American citizens as well as reducing the level of foreign investments that help keep the Castro dictatorship in power. Despite the Clinton administration's failure to fully implement the law, dozens of companies have stopped their operations in Cuba, while many others have postponed their plans to invest in Castro's slave economy. The European Union, in a last-ditch attempt to profit from American stolen property and exploit the Cuban worker, has filed an irresponsible challenge before the World Trade Organization against Helms-Burton that threatens to undermine our Nation's ability to dictate our own foreign policy. We call on the President to invoke the national security clause in this battle. A year after its passage, Mr. Speaker, this body can be proud that it stood firm in support of the Cuban people's struggle for freedom. Now let us fully implement this successful law.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow marks the first anniversary of the signing into law of the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act, better known as the Helms-Burton law. This historic legislation set a precedent for the protection of the property rights of all Americans. It tells foreign investors that if they traffick in illegally confiscated American property in Cuba, they will be subject to lawsuits in American courts and may be denied entry into our country. As a secondary goal, the law targets the reduction of foreign investments in Cuba which the Castro regime has been using to reinforce its totalitarian state since the downfall of the Soviet Union and the end of Soviet subsidies. On both respects, Mr. Speaker, in protecting American property rights and in reducing the hard currency obtained by the Castro dictatorship, the Helms-Burton law has been effective. Indeed, it has been a success. Despite the decision by the Clinton administration to waive title III of the law, which is the provision that grants U.S. citizens the right to file a lawsuit against those investors who traffic in their property, the Helms-Burton law has had a significant chilling effect on the level of foreign investments flowing to the Castro regime. Even top officials of the Castro regime have asserted the damaging effects of Helms-Burton on Castro's slave economy. Dozens of companies have pulled out of Cuba following the implementation of the law. Some of them included Bow Valley Industries of Canada, Grupo Vitro of Mexico, Guitart of Spain, and Pemex of Mexico, among others. Other firms, like British BAT and Beta Gran Caribe and Heenan Blaey of Canada put their operations on hold to reassess their commercial and legal risks under Helms-Burton. Also, Grupo Domos, the large Mexican telecommunications conglomerate, recently announced plans to withdraw its offer to create a joint venture with the Cuban regime to rehabilitate the Cuban domestic telephone system. Grupo Domos, which last year, along with the Cuban Government, announced with great fanfare this contract, failed to obtain the necessary financing to cover its obligations under the agreement. Perhaps the most damaging effect has been on Castro's ability to finance Cuba's sugar crop, one of the regime's main sources of hard currency. Last fall the Dutch bank, ING, pulled its financing of equipment destined for Cuba's sugar harvest. As a result, the Cuban sugar harvest is expected to be below what was expected before. The report states that top Castro officials fault the Helms-Burton law as the cause of the problems for the regime. Helms-Burton has helped reduce the growth of Castro's slave economy, thus weakening the regime's ability to hold on to power. Let us remember that before the Helms-Burton law took effect, foreign investors were free to profit from legitimate American property stolen by Fidel Castro in order to exploit the Cuban worker, who enjoys no rights and no freedoms. Castro's economy was described by a Canadian business journal as a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. And why not? In Cuba's slave economy, the one in which many of our allies willingly and immorally participate, Castro profits while the Cuban worker suffers. Once foreign companies are approved by the regime for investments, the Cuban Government selects the workers who will labor in the industry. The Cuban Government collects the worker's wages in dollars, estimated at about $2,000 a month, and then pays the worker in worthless Cuban pesos, about $10 a month. Moreover, the companies do not have to worry about bothersome workers' rights, including the right to form labor unions, and there are no health standards nor environmental standards. Castro has one mission, obtain foreign currency, and he will do it by sacrificing the Cuban worker, or anything else that he has at his disposal. While Helms-Burton has undoubtedly served its purpose so far, disappointing has been the reaction of our allies, particularly Canada and the European Union. The European Union has already filed a ridiculous and irresponsible challenge to Helms-Burton before the World Trade Organization. Apparently our European friends believe that our Nation has no right to determine our own foreign policy. Even more shameful has been the behavior of Canada, a nation that has sacrificed its long reputation of promoting human rights and democracy in favor of making a quick profit off of stolen property and the exploited Cuban worker. On a recent visit to Canada to lambast the Helms-Burton law, Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy highlighted the signature of an agreement with the Castro regime supporting the protection of human rights. At almost the same moment that fake document was signed, dozens of dissidents and independent journalists were being rounded up by Castro's thugs. Helms-Burton has been a success, and we will not wait in our attempts to making sure that property rights of American citizens will be protected.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment for its grassroots efforts in turning a tragic loss into something constructive for others. Melissa Aptman was brutally murdered on May 5, 1995, just 2 weeks before she would have graduated from Washington University in St. Louis, MO. A charming and gifted young woman, she was taken from her family, friends, and society by a senseless, violent crime. Melissa grew up in Miami and was a graduate of the Dade County public schools. While in college, she worked for the school newspaper, mentored an inner-city student, participated in sorority affairs, and sat on the Panhellenic Standards Board. Days before her death, Melissa wrote about violence against women on a college exam. ``Such acts,'' she wrote ``attempt to break the human spirit and destroy the state of mind of those involved.'' She added that ``In spite of the brutality imposed on them women almost always find some source of strength.'' Melissa's family has drawn strength from her words. They believe that we cannot let evil win. As a result, they have turned their grief into action, launching their own battle against violence and its devastating impact on victims and their families by creating the Melissa Institute in her honor. The mission of the Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment is to bridge the gap between expert knowledge of the nature and impact of violence and the practical application of this knowledge. Their first major conference on violence and youth will be held on May 2, 1997, in Miami, FL. We must work together to fight evil and violence.