Lincoln Diaz-Balart: “Let me first thank you, Madam Chairwoman, for your leadership. As we heard tonight, your leadership in the cause of…”

“Let me first thank you, Madam Chairwoman, for your leadership. As we heard tonight, your leadership in the cause of freedom does not stop at the shores of Cuba. Wherever there is repression and oppression, there is the clear concise voice of Chairwoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, as we have heard again tonight. Mr. Speaker, we have heard a lot. And I know that the time is getting short, but I want to quote somebody whom we have not quoted, as far as I remember here tonight, and this is President Obama. When Mr. Obama was running for President he stated what the right policy, what his policy would be to deal with the Cuban tyranny. He said: ``My policy towards Cuba will be guided by one word, `libertad'--freedom. And the road to freedom for all Cubans must begin with justice for Cuba's political prisoners, the right of free speech, a free press, freedom assembly, and it must lead to elections that are free and fair.'' Mr. Obama went on to say: ``I will maintain the embargo. It provides us with the leverage to present the regime with a clear choice. If you take significant steps towards democracy, beginning with the freedom of all--all--political prisoners,'' Mr. Obama said, ``we will take steps to begin normalizing relations. That is the way to bring about real change in Cuba,'' Mr. Obama said, ``through strong, smart principled democracy.'' {time} 2130 Mr.…”