James Davis: “I think it is clear this is not a debate about tourism, and it is not a debate about illicit activity. It is about…”

“I think it is clear this is not a debate about tourism, and it is not a debate about illicit activity. It is about whether certain kinds of educational activities can occur. It is fair to point out that there is abuse as the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) noticed. I think both sides can agree that OFAC is perfectly willing to deny applications for licenses where they see fit. That is painfully clear. And where there is abuse and fraud, OFAC can do its job and deny a license. OFAC has the authority conferred upon it by Congress to impose both civil and criminal penalties in cases of fraud. That is not the issue. The question is whether the types of examples I have cited, the exchanges where universities are taking teachers down there who do not happen to be students engaged in formal case work, instances where doctors or lawyers are going down there on a peer-to-peer basis should be allowed to continue. There can be no basis to deny that does benefit the Cuban people, and should be something that ought to be allowed to continue.”