Marco Rubio

Well, we will make that request, as well, of the Secretary of State.

I think this is a critical point, because weapons between China--weapon sales between China and Cuba are not otherwise sanctioned internationally.

This is the second time in 18 months that the Cuban military has been caught smuggling weapons internationally.

I think it is important for members to understand, before they approve that funding--and I think it is important for the State Department to understand, before they come here and ask for that--we need to understand exactly what we are…

It is the administration's policy that, through a engagement that is diplomatic, that allows our law enforcement people to speak to one another, we will pursue, at every level that we can, the return of fugitives.

It should not be represented as an embassy just like any other we have around the world

If we are going to have an embassy, it should be a real embassy, not an embassy that is mined with Cuban intelligence officials

We have no commitments yet that we will be allowed to bring our own equipment, and we have no commitments yet that we would be allowed to bring secured containers of equipment into the embassy.

We are being asked to invest money in an embassy in Havana, but we are going to have to hire Cuban agents to work in the embassy.

Let us talk, first, about personnel.

There is no substitute in this hemisphere for strong American leadership, technical assistance, and the leveraging ability that we bring.

There are entire parts of those countries that are not under the writ of the government.

How are we going to measure progress? Do we have benchmarks set for how we are going to measure success?

Thank you all for being here with us today.

Obviously, all religious intolerance is abhorrent.

It is not just an American ideal, it is a human one, and protecting these freedoms around the world should be a top priority of our foreign policy agenda.

I introduced the Girls Count Act, with Senator Shaheen, which promotes programs that will assist with birth registration of both girls and boys.

New military cooperation agreements between Vladimir Putin and Daniel Ortega serves as a further expansion of Russian reach into the hemisphere.

I introduced a resolution today regarding his courageous work and life, and a call for a swift and transparent investigation into his tragic death.

The recent announced nationalization of privately owned commercial companies through the use of his decree powers is an affront to a free society.

The Cuban Government has made no concessions, no attempts to open a society that has been in darkness for 55 years.

The recent suppression of political protesters cannot continue.

The United States and Colombia must make sure that the FARC knows that they have been defeated on the battlefield.

I remain supportive of the Government of Colombia and the Colombian people's right to seek what is in their best interest with regards to the ongoing peace talks with the FARC.

While there cannot be a blank check and no accountability, Central American governments must look within and stamp out corruption to restore public confidence in public institutions.