Political Quotes

“I rise today to denounce the Clinton administration's decision to use this great American institution, the U.S. Coast Guard, to serve the purposes of a tyrant. We in south Florida are very knowledgeable about the Coast Guard because of the wonderful work they perform during periods of natural disasters such as during Hurricane Andrew where they played a crucial role in the rescue operations. Those of us who are residents of south Florida also know the Coast Guard as a humanitarian institution because, for years, the Coast Guard has rescued freedom-seeking Cubans from the waters of the Florida Straits while on their journey to freedom. This humanitarian aspect of the Coast Guard, for which all of America should be proud, was surprisingly reversed last week when the Clinton administration announced the United States will now repatriate freedom-seeking Cubans back to the island prison they risked their lives to escape. The President has now made the Coast Guard an extension of the Cuban authorities, in order to keep the Cuban people under the Castro repression. Just this afternoon, the first victims of the President's latest flipflop were turned over to the bloody henchmen of Castro. Mr. Speaker, this change of policy is an embarrassment to the longstanding record of the United States as the beacon of hope and freedom for the oppressed of the world.”