Text
JOSE E SERRANO
JUOICIARY
q[ongress of tbe ~ntteb ~tates
13"2 ~"'
,!3,__,RN ~c1 .. SE '.)n·cE 8t.,ll01~(,
'l"/.4..H•uNG r0N DC 205 15-3216
'202' 22~361
F4X •202' l25-M01
11,ou~e of l\epre~entattbe~
masf)ington, i9£ 205\5-32\6
'.J1S'f"R1CT QF~ CE
890 GRAND co,.,.co1.,;AsE
HtSPA"4tC (AtJCl. S
Me "18EA. C<:NGAEss,oNAc
Bt..ACJ( (.AVC'-'5
v•ce CHAI~
B•o,.,. "<'f 10,s 1-2828
11 a,
MEM8E~. CONGRESS10"<AL
OE.MU(:!=!Ai)C S"'EER1NG
sJs-s,oc
June 22, 1995
WHY FURTHER A FAILED POLICY?
Dear Colleague:
H.R. 927, the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act
introduced by Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN), and its Senate companion, S.
381, introduced by Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC), seek to tighten and
internationalize the provisions of the embargo against Cuba.
The
following news articles shows that this approach is flawed for
several reasons.
* H.R. 927 violates the sovereignty of independent nations.
The extra-territorial reach of the bill, which penalizes
countries that have commercial ties with Cuba, have brought
protest from Canada and Mexico, among others.
* H.R. 927 ignores the,recommendations of the Pentagon study.
new Pentagon-commissioned study of Cuba and of U.S. policy
advocates the normalization of U.S.-Cuban relations in order
to prevent total economic collapse, political chaos, violence,
bloodshed and suffering in Cuba.
A
* H.R. 927 neglects the need for a new approach. The free
flow of ideas and goods is the best advertisement for both
capitalism and democracy.
The vindictive and inhumane approach advocated by supporters
of the embargo has not worked in over 30 years and it is time to
consider alternative measures to change our relationship with one
of our closest neighbors.
I urge you to consider the information
contained in these news articles as you evaluate the U.S. policy on
Cuba.
ose E. Serrano
Member of Congress
C:M~,1 ....... EE
I
Congress Move on Cuba
Irks Canada and Mexico
By CLYDE H. FARNSWORTH
sored by Senator Jesse Helms, the
TORONTO, May 22 - Canada and North Carolina Republican who
Mexico have Joined forces to defeat heads the ·Foreign Relat1oos Com·
proposed American legislation that mittei!, and Representative Dan
would lighten the JJ.year-old trade Burton the Indiana Republican who
embargo against Cuba.
heads the the House Subcom mlttei!
nie extra-territorial reach or the on Western Hemisphere Arfa1rs.
bill which penaliies countries that
Canada and Mexico mainly ob1ect
ha~e commercial ties with Cuba, has to provisions that ban the import of
brought the protests of the two North sugar, syrups and molasses from
American Free Trade Assoc1at1on any country that buys these products
partners and their unusual coopera· from Cuba, prohibit American for·
lion In Washington.
eign subsidiaries from having any
In separate letters to members of financial dealings with Cuba. and
Congress, the canadian Ambassa~r deny entry into the United States or
to the United States. Raymond Oue- foreign citizens deemed to have had
tien, nephew of Prime Minister Jean dealings involving property tn Cuba i
Ouetlen, and the Mexican Ambassa- expropriated from Americans.
. '
dor. Jesus Silva-Herzog. say the rThe Globe arid :\tall has observea
measure seek.s to n!gulate what
tartly that Canadian execullves
their countries can and cannot do
would enter the same prohibited cat·
and wsm of aim~t certain retaliaegory as political militants and conl.ion.
victed felons.
concern Is so great in Canada that
Sherrill Inc., a Fort Saskatchean all;,arty deM!'Ption of members
wan, Alberta, mining company that
oi Parliament i.5 about to ta.ke argurecently started producing nidr.el II\
ments again.st the bill directly to the
Cuba, and Delta Ho<els and Resorts,
with its nine Cuban properues, are
h.all.s ol Coog ress.
.
"We're going to explain how thtS
amoog Canadian compani~ that
bill lnte.rlere:s wtth our sovereignty,"
could be hit by sa.ncuoos in the
sald Paul ~ . en.airman of the
Helms-Burton bill.
St.andinl Committee on Industry of
Canada and Mexico say the legisthe House of Commoos.
lation violates underta.lungs ot the
"lt lrt.s a lot of us in Canada, and
United States under both the free
we' re no< going to take it tymg
trade agr~ment and the new World
down," said Mr. W .1 New BrunsTrade OrganizatlOO.
wick Uberal who be.ads the do!lqaBeyond the adverse efrects on pol.ion )ointly with SW Graham, a Tolitical, trade and economic relauons,
ronto Ubena.l 111ho i.s chairman of the
Foreign Affairs Committee of the
ComrnMS.
.
The bill. whkh has stront badlllg
1n J)och houses of 0Jnare$S, Ls span-
A Canadian says a
U.S. bill 'interferes
with our
sovereignty.'
Ambassador Chr~tlen grumbled, the
bUI "would undermine the inte-grlty
of an lntem•tiaul legal syitem I
which ~rve:s bo<h our countries."
j
By trying to rorce trade partners
10 sqliffze Cuba, the bill sets up a
secondary boycott, Cantda and Mex·
ico argue. But it hu lo(ig been illegal
in the United States ror union members to tct against an empk>~r to
get it to bring pressure oo another
company. And In intern.itlonal relations the United States hu tradilJOn·
ally opposed secondary boycott .situations. like Arab pressure on third
countries to isolate Israel.
Historically, Canada and Cuba
have shared strong tra~ tk!s, and In
recent years tourism has thrived as
well. More than 120,000 C.9nadians
head for Cuban resorts every year,
accoonUng ror about a quarter or
visitors from abroad.
In the Central Amerlc.an-Canbbe·
an region, Cuba l.s Canada's second
largest trading partner after ~rto
Rico. Two-way trade was around
S22\ million last year, with Imports
and exports almO:St In bal~. Cana·
da chieny exports food product.s and
imports nickel and sugar.
Mexico's two-way trade was
somewhat smaller at SIS! million.
Mexico imported only· SI I million,
mainly rum and tobacco. Exports of
$150 million included oil and chemic.al products and detergfflts and
soap. Pemex, the st.ate-ollll>ed Mexican oil ~ l y , has some in~tment.s in Cuban refineries. Mex.lean
olficial.s also report recent Invest·
ment.s in telecommunications. With
it.s own S1Jgar crop, Mexico l'.as oo<
bought sugar from Cuba~ 1990.
But the sucar import prohibttlon
raises $!TiouS concuM ror C.lnada,
which annuaUy exports $500 mlllll:ln
worth ol products C1J11ta.ininc sugar
to the United States. Much of thl:s
commerce Is from AmericJ.n.ow'ned
subsidiaries like Kralt C.lnada Inc.,
whlch employ1 • In Cobourg, Oni.no, and makes ceruls and oelwr
pecltaa,ed foods conta.lninl qar.
Cuada Imports about $-40t million of
Ameran products contuuna SUI·
ar.
So, Canadian officials point out,
tnde hostilities owr ~ couJd
en.se nearly SI billian ol bilateral
trade and the thcma.llds ol Jobs It
a,enerates.
"We're noc c:halJen&lnl the right of
the u.S. to Impose an embargo," said
Bruno Picard, an aJde to the tanadlan Trade MlniSter, Roy Maclaren.
"We share similar pis rqudtna
democracy la Cuba· and a manet·
oriented eccnomy. But " dlsacree
on the means to ,et there. We favor
more encaaement and duque,
rather than • boycott"
New York Times, May 23, 1995
I
Economic Liberalization of Cuba
Favored in Study of U.S. Stance,·.
A new Pent.agoo-commi53ion~ study
o{
Cuba and cl. U.S. poljcy toward the i:sb.tid say,
that cootiooed ecoocmic !ibenli:ation under
the OIIPZll¥nst regime led ',y f"Jdel Castro
W'OUJd came the least upbean.l il Cuban ,ociety and hz'n! fewer ~tive eoo:seque:oces fur
the Uaited St.ates thm other ~tives.
The $285,000 study is the wort ol U.S.
and h,.san policy ~ indodi:nc ,ome
who ~ ulba fl the ~ t cl. the
Conner So-net Union.. It sa~ tb.ai ndial ecooomic re«m llllldel- u:stro, or his mnon.l
from p.,wer through death or a ~
portai o,up, 1"0Wd Clll:'le ~ tut•
moil 1l'it.!m. the Cubm umed furtt5 and cmJ.
i.ul 90Ciety. This.. 111 tum, couJd ~ U.S.
m.iliury int.en,ential and m unpr~ted
exodus o.r Cuban immignnts to the United
St.ates. the study si,-.s.
-cuba is already I Ila lion in historic tnnsibllll... . . . With oir without F"idel Castro ii
command. the oountr, 1t'ilJ underr> fiat.her
ei:ooorruc, s,cx:w, and military tnns!onnations-pertu p, modest and incremental,
perhaps sharp and sudden,. said the study'
wbich has ~n circulated at the White
House and on Capitol Hill.
The study 1VU ~ and directed by I
privite coosultJOt.. Nestor Sanche:z, 1 ·ronner
CIA officiaJ ,mo sened in the Reacan admmtntioo u ~ ~ t 9ea'etaty at . .
re~ ror intenutiocul security afbir,. In
1963, ClA aceit Sanches delivered a pen with
a bidden ~ llll!edle to a Cooan a,esit
in Paris who bad ptan.1 to .ISS1:SSiiiat.e Castro.
A ,ena Pent.ap official de9aibed the
study as a •crisis manarem,em ,,_. to be
comide:t ed b 1191! by admmistratm md wy officia.ls in the n-ent cl. a crim in U.S.-Otban relatr.os. The new, cl. ,ome cl. its mthan
oxitr.a:st both with pttv.lilinc u idl!loqy ~
r.ard Cuba md CliDtllO admini!ltntion pcicy of
OlllonuiDC eonxnic pmsqre Oil the i11D1. ..
1"he ecxnni,: leffl' il Amerian 111:mda.ii
(A crucial ~ . · ffl.el Andrei~
khin, pre:sidl!nt al the Center fer CCl6:t Rea.
<*Jtioo in Mocow. "The Uaitted s.tates cmd
Washington Post, May 19, 1995
.s.
Odd Allies Await Clinton
If U.S. Shifts Cuba Policy
•••
~veral GOP Conservatives
.,,. Back Easing Sanctions
In Return for Reforms
-'\JI
The Wall Street Journal, March 16, 1995
JUOICIARY
q[ongress of tbe ~ntteb ~tates
13"2 ~"'
,!3,__,RN ~c1 .. SE '.)n·cE 8t.,ll01~(,
'l"/.4..H•uNG r0N DC 205 15-3216
'202' 22~361
F4X •202' l25-M01
11,ou~e of l\epre~entattbe~
masf)ington, i9£ 205\5-32\6
'.J1S'f"R1CT QF~ CE
890 GRAND co,.,.co1.,;AsE
HtSPA"4tC (AtJCl. S
Me "18EA. C<:NGAEss,oNAc
Bt..ACJ( (.AVC'-'5
v•ce CHAI~
B•o,.,. "<'f 10,s 1-2828
11 a,
MEM8E~. CONGRESS10"<AL
OE.MU(:!=!Ai)C S"'EER1NG
sJs-s,oc
June 22, 1995
WHY FURTHER A FAILED POLICY?
Dear Colleague:
H.R. 927, the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act
introduced by Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN), and its Senate companion, S.
381, introduced by Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC), seek to tighten and
internationalize the provisions of the embargo against Cuba.
The
following news articles shows that this approach is flawed for
several reasons.
* H.R. 927 violates the sovereignty of independent nations.
The extra-territorial reach of the bill, which penalizes
countries that have commercial ties with Cuba, have brought
protest from Canada and Mexico, among others.
* H.R. 927 ignores the,recommendations of the Pentagon study.
new Pentagon-commissioned study of Cuba and of U.S. policy
advocates the normalization of U.S.-Cuban relations in order
to prevent total economic collapse, political chaos, violence,
bloodshed and suffering in Cuba.
A
* H.R. 927 neglects the need for a new approach. The free
flow of ideas and goods is the best advertisement for both
capitalism and democracy.
The vindictive and inhumane approach advocated by supporters
of the embargo has not worked in over 30 years and it is time to
consider alternative measures to change our relationship with one
of our closest neighbors.
I urge you to consider the information
contained in these news articles as you evaluate the U.S. policy on
Cuba.
ose E. Serrano
Member of Congress
C:M~,1 ....... EE
I
Congress Move on Cuba
Irks Canada and Mexico
By CLYDE H. FARNSWORTH
sored by Senator Jesse Helms, the
TORONTO, May 22 - Canada and North Carolina Republican who
Mexico have Joined forces to defeat heads the ·Foreign Relat1oos Com·
proposed American legislation that mittei!, and Representative Dan
would lighten the JJ.year-old trade Burton the Indiana Republican who
embargo against Cuba.
heads the the House Subcom mlttei!
nie extra-territorial reach or the on Western Hemisphere Arfa1rs.
bill which penaliies countries that
Canada and Mexico mainly ob1ect
ha~e commercial ties with Cuba, has to provisions that ban the import of
brought the protests of the two North sugar, syrups and molasses from
American Free Trade Assoc1at1on any country that buys these products
partners and their unusual coopera· from Cuba, prohibit American for·
lion In Washington.
eign subsidiaries from having any
In separate letters to members of financial dealings with Cuba. and
Congress, the canadian Ambassa~r deny entry into the United States or
to the United States. Raymond Oue- foreign citizens deemed to have had
tien, nephew of Prime Minister Jean dealings involving property tn Cuba i
Ouetlen, and the Mexican Ambassa- expropriated from Americans.
. '
dor. Jesus Silva-Herzog. say the rThe Globe arid :\tall has observea
measure seek.s to n!gulate what
tartly that Canadian execullves
their countries can and cannot do
would enter the same prohibited cat·
and wsm of aim~t certain retaliaegory as political militants and conl.ion.
victed felons.
concern Is so great in Canada that
Sherrill Inc., a Fort Saskatchean all;,arty deM!'Ption of members
wan, Alberta, mining company that
oi Parliament i.5 about to ta.ke argurecently started producing nidr.el II\
ments again.st the bill directly to the
Cuba, and Delta Ho<els and Resorts,
with its nine Cuban properues, are
h.all.s ol Coog ress.
.
"We're going to explain how thtS
amoog Canadian compani~ that
bill lnte.rlere:s wtth our sovereignty,"
could be hit by sa.ncuoos in the
sald Paul ~ . en.airman of the
Helms-Burton bill.
St.andinl Committee on Industry of
Canada and Mexico say the legisthe House of Commoos.
lation violates underta.lungs ot the
"lt lrt.s a lot of us in Canada, and
United States under both the free
we' re no< going to take it tymg
trade agr~ment and the new World
down," said Mr. W .1 New BrunsTrade OrganizatlOO.
wick Uberal who be.ads the do!lqaBeyond the adverse efrects on pol.ion )ointly with SW Graham, a Tolitical, trade and economic relauons,
ronto Ubena.l 111ho i.s chairman of the
Foreign Affairs Committee of the
ComrnMS.
.
The bill. whkh has stront badlllg
1n J)och houses of 0Jnare$S, Ls span-
A Canadian says a
U.S. bill 'interferes
with our
sovereignty.'
Ambassador Chr~tlen grumbled, the
bUI "would undermine the inte-grlty
of an lntem•tiaul legal syitem I
which ~rve:s bo<h our countries."
j
By trying to rorce trade partners
10 sqliffze Cuba, the bill sets up a
secondary boycott, Cantda and Mex·
ico argue. But it hu lo(ig been illegal
in the United States ror union members to tct against an empk>~r to
get it to bring pressure oo another
company. And In intern.itlonal relations the United States hu tradilJOn·
ally opposed secondary boycott .situations. like Arab pressure on third
countries to isolate Israel.
Historically, Canada and Cuba
have shared strong tra~ tk!s, and In
recent years tourism has thrived as
well. More than 120,000 C.9nadians
head for Cuban resorts every year,
accoonUng ror about a quarter or
visitors from abroad.
In the Central Amerlc.an-Canbbe·
an region, Cuba l.s Canada's second
largest trading partner after ~rto
Rico. Two-way trade was around
S22\ million last year, with Imports
and exports almO:St In bal~. Cana·
da chieny exports food product.s and
imports nickel and sugar.
Mexico's two-way trade was
somewhat smaller at SIS! million.
Mexico imported only· SI I million,
mainly rum and tobacco. Exports of
$150 million included oil and chemic.al products and detergfflts and
soap. Pemex, the st.ate-ollll>ed Mexican oil ~ l y , has some in~tment.s in Cuban refineries. Mex.lean
olficial.s also report recent Invest·
ment.s in telecommunications. With
it.s own S1Jgar crop, Mexico l'.as oo<
bought sugar from Cuba~ 1990.
But the sucar import prohibttlon
raises $!TiouS concuM ror C.lnada,
which annuaUy exports $500 mlllll:ln
worth ol products C1J11ta.ininc sugar
to the United States. Much of thl:s
commerce Is from AmericJ.n.ow'ned
subsidiaries like Kralt C.lnada Inc.,
whlch employ1 • In Cobourg, Oni.no, and makes ceruls and oelwr
pecltaa,ed foods conta.lninl qar.
Cuada Imports about $-40t million of
Ameran products contuuna SUI·
ar.
So, Canadian officials point out,
tnde hostilities owr ~ couJd
en.se nearly SI billian ol bilateral
trade and the thcma.llds ol Jobs It
a,enerates.
"We're noc c:halJen&lnl the right of
the u.S. to Impose an embargo," said
Bruno Picard, an aJde to the tanadlan Trade MlniSter, Roy Maclaren.
"We share similar pis rqudtna
democracy la Cuba· and a manet·
oriented eccnomy. But " dlsacree
on the means to ,et there. We favor
more encaaement and duque,
rather than • boycott"
New York Times, May 23, 1995
I
Economic Liberalization of Cuba
Favored in Study of U.S. Stance,·.
A new Pent.agoo-commi53ion~ study
o{
Cuba and cl. U.S. poljcy toward the i:sb.tid say,
that cootiooed ecoocmic !ibenli:ation under
the OIIPZll¥nst regime led ',y f"Jdel Castro
W'OUJd came the least upbean.l il Cuban ,ociety and hz'n! fewer ~tive eoo:seque:oces fur
the Uaited St.ates thm other ~tives.
The $285,000 study is the wort ol U.S.
and h,.san policy ~ indodi:nc ,ome
who ~ ulba fl the ~ t cl. the
Conner So-net Union.. It sa~ tb.ai ndial ecooomic re«m llllldel- u:stro, or his mnon.l
from p.,wer through death or a ~
portai o,up, 1"0Wd Clll:'le ~ tut•
moil 1l'it.!m. the Cubm umed furtt5 and cmJ.
i.ul 90Ciety. This.. 111 tum, couJd ~ U.S.
m.iliury int.en,ential and m unpr~ted
exodus o.r Cuban immignnts to the United
St.ates. the study si,-.s.
-cuba is already I Ila lion in historic tnnsibllll... . . . With oir without F"idel Castro ii
command. the oountr, 1t'ilJ underr> fiat.her
ei:ooorruc, s,cx:w, and military tnns!onnations-pertu p, modest and incremental,
perhaps sharp and sudden,. said the study'
wbich has ~n circulated at the White
House and on Capitol Hill.
The study 1VU ~ and directed by I
privite coosultJOt.. Nestor Sanche:z, 1 ·ronner
CIA officiaJ ,mo sened in the Reacan admmtntioo u ~ ~ t 9ea'etaty at . .
re~ ror intenutiocul security afbir,. In
1963, ClA aceit Sanches delivered a pen with
a bidden ~ llll!edle to a Cooan a,esit
in Paris who bad ptan.1 to .ISS1:SSiiiat.e Castro.
A ,ena Pent.ap official de9aibed the
study as a •crisis manarem,em ,,_. to be
comide:t ed b 1191! by admmistratm md wy officia.ls in the n-ent cl. a crim in U.S.-Otban relatr.os. The new, cl. ,ome cl. its mthan
oxitr.a:st both with pttv.lilinc u idl!loqy ~
r.ard Cuba md CliDtllO admini!ltntion pcicy of
OlllonuiDC eonxnic pmsqre Oil the i11D1. ..
1"he ecxnni,: leffl' il Amerian 111:mda.ii
(A crucial ~ . · ffl.el Andrei~
khin, pre:sidl!nt al the Center fer CCl6:t Rea.
<*Jtioo in Mocow. "The Uaitted s.tates cmd
Washington Post, May 19, 1995
.s.
Odd Allies Await Clinton
If U.S. Shifts Cuba Policy
•••
~veral GOP Conservatives
.,,. Back Easing Sanctions
In Return for Reforms
-'\JI
The Wall Street Journal, March 16, 1995