Norvell Emerson: “the Flake amendment is very simple, and I will repeat what my colleagues have heretofore said. It prevents the…”

“the Flake amendment is very simple, and I will repeat what my colleagues have heretofore said. It prevents the Department of Commerce from carrying out new misguided regulations, further restricting gift parcels and personal baggage going to Cuba. Now, the stated purpose of these regulations, as my colleagues have said, is to prevent gift parcels sent to Cuba from supporting the Castro regime. In reality, we all know that these regulations will have little effect on the Cuban regime and, instead, will seriously hinder the ability of Cuban-Americans to send critical humanitarian aid to their family members in Cuba. I want to examine, if I could, Mr. Chairman, again some of the supposedly regime-supporting items that these Commerce Department regulations would prohibit Cuban-Americans from sending to family members in Cuba as a gift parcel. Seeds, so that a family might plant vegetables or flowers; clothing; personal hygiene items; fishing equipment; soap. Now, do those sound like items that if withheld from the Cuban people are going to bring down Castro's regime? I do not think so. There will be an impact, and there is no question that Cuban families will suffer.”