Political Quotes

“I rise to address the human rights issue of deep concern. For 2 years, since December 3, 2009, an American citizen and a Marylander, Alan Gross, has been imprisoned by the Cuban Government. For 2 years, he has been held by the Cuban authorities. Alan was in Cuba to help the country's small Jewish community establish an Internet and improve its access to the Internet, which would allow the community to go online without fear of censorship or monitoring. After being held for 14 months without charge and then a cursory 2- day trial, he was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison. His appeal to the Cuban supreme court was denied in August of this year. Alan Gross is a caring husband and a father, a devoted man who has dutifully promoted U.S. foreign policy interests while serving the needs of thousands of foreign citizens, from Afghanistan to Haiti, over a career that has spanned more than 25 years of public service. Unfortunately, Alan has been caught in the middle of a conflict between two nations with a long and difficult relationship. But it is entirely unacceptable that his personal freedoms have been violated every day he continues to be incarcerated. Alan's health has deteriorated during his imprisonment. He has lost 100 pounds and suffers from a multitude of medical conditions, including gout, ulcers, and arthritis, that have worsened without adequate treatment.…”