Sam Gejdenson: “Mr. Speaker, for some reason, we have continued this Cuba policy for 40 years. We have Helms-Burton that isolates us…”

“Mr. Speaker, for some reason, we have continued this Cuba policy for 40 years. We have Helms-Burton that isolates us globally, and the President has to continue to waive. In that language, there is already legislation. There is language that would give the President more ability to act if he was so inclined to on this issue. America's interests are not served by trying to drive all of our foreign policy through Havana. The United States interests in dealing with Russia, with its large nuclear force is far more important to American security than trying to even topple the government of Castro. I would like to see Castro gone. I would like to see a democracy there. I would like to see the people of Cuba living a better standard of living. I would like to see American farmers selling the food crops and American pharmaceuticals selling them the medicine they need to give their people a better life. I would like to see an end to this policy which for 40 years has only isolated America and not isolated Castro.”