John Joseph Moakley: “Mr. Speaker, as the distinguished dean of the Massachusetts delegation noted, H.R. 4118 raises legitimate security…”

“Mr. Speaker, as the distinguished dean of the Massachusetts delegation noted, H.R. 4118 raises legitimate security issues. However, the bill puts forth the worst possible recommendation on how to deal with these issues. Mr. Speaker, the Cold War is over. We are now in an era of engagement. Unfortunately, the sponsors of this bill want to link our policy with Russia to the failed U.S. policies towards Cuba. This bill would undermine U.S. leadership on engagement with Russia. It would cripple U.S. leadership in the Paris Club, that negotiates debt forgiveness and rescheduling of debt for Russia. It would place Russia's shaky economy in an even more precarious situation. Why? Because the sponsors of this bill reject U.S. engagement with Cuba. If we had relations with Cuba, the United States could negotiate directly with the Cubans and the Russians about how to resolve the security issue. Even worse, this bill will actually create new security problems for the United States. The United States maintains many listening stations around the world. We enjoy a significant advantage over Russia. Why do we want to bring public attention to these intelligence matters?”