Political Quotes

“As I said, this amendment would help alleviate the suffering of the Cuban people. It also is very important to note that this is identical to a bipartisan Republican-led amendment submitted just a few years ago. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee. Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the amendment offered by Ms. Tlaib. Our Nation's policy toward Cuba over the past six decades has proven to be ineffective and counterproductive. The Biden administration has started to peel back some of these restrictive policies in a manner that will both empower the Cuban people and safeguard U.S. national security interests, and this amendment would further these efforts. This amendment would lift the longstanding restrictions on the private financing of agricultural exports to Cuba, which harm U.S. farmers and ranchers and their competitiveness. Cuba imports more than $2 billion in agricultural exports per year. Eliminating this longstanding prohibition would increase business for our Nation's ranchers and farmers, and we would create jobs for hardworking American families. Let me give you an example. In 2021, the U.S. rice imports from Vietnam were $12.6 million; Malaysia, $16 million; Thailand, $51 million; and Pakistan, $34 million.…”