Xavier Becerra: “Mr. Speaker, first let us all agree that what happened a week ago that took the lives of several Americans was…”

“Mr. Speaker, first let us all agree that what happened a week ago that took the lives of several Americans was regrettable and should not have happened, but it is always bad policy when you try to achieve political ends through economic means, especially when they are indirect economic means. The actual three and one-half-decade-old embargo against Cuba is a perfect example of why we cannot achieve that through an economic embargo. The Castro government remains, and the only people who have been hurt are the people of Cuba, the women and children of Cuba. What we are doing through this bill is using our economic might to bully our international allies and friends to do what we think is best, even though the entire international community has spoken against this type of embargo. Indeed, even Canada, our northern neighbor, our great friend, has said it will take us to international court to say that this is a means, a barrier against free trade throughout the world. This is not the way to do things.”