On the recordNovember 15, 2011
I thank the majority leader. I will not take the 3 minutes but just to say my objection is the same as the Senator from New Jersey and my colleague from Florida, Senator Rubio. The fact is, the provision in the bill would allow direct payments between U.S. sellers and Cuban buyers of agricultural goods. Under the existing restrictions, U.S. exports to Cuba have fallen dramatically in the last few years, largely due to the regime's shortage of hard currency. In other words, the sanctions are working. Now is not the time to relax U.S. economic sanctions, particularly while we see on this planet Earth in 2011 a repressive regime such as the one in Cuba and the one that continues to hold Alan Gross. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.
