Bill Delahunt: “In a recent speech, the President described democracy as when ``governments respond to the will of the people, and not…”

“In a recent speech, the President described democracy as when ``governments respond to the will of the people, and not the will of an elite.'' Well, Well. For the past four years, the House has voted to end the ban on travel by Americans to Cuba. This year, the Senate overwhelmingly supported an identical provision. But it's not in the bill before us now. The President wants to keep the embargo intact, and believes that respecting the right of Americans to travel to Cuba would be a concession to Castro. A majority in both the House and Senate disagree. Our fundamental rights as Americans should never be viewed as a bargaining chip. When the Congress clashes with the White House, the President can do what he threatened to do: veto the bill. Sadly, his agents in Congress took a more cowardly path. Quietly and secretly, they took the conference report and had the provision erased. No debate. No vote. No democracy. All so the President doesn't have to decide whether to fulfill or break his promises to veto the bill. Recently, during his visit to Britain, the President said that democratic governments honor the aspirations and dignity of their own people. I submit that the best place to lead by example is in this Capitol building. This is now bigger than the Cuba debate. This is about the fundamental credibility of the legislative branch of our government.”