William Symington: “Thank you, Lou, Mr. President, colleagues. President Lou, you led the breakthrough visit to Cuba a year ago December by…”

“Thank you, Lou, Mr. President, colleagues. President Lou, you led the breakthrough visit to Cuba a year ago December by a bipartisan delegation of former members and one sitting Member of Congress. The delegation which you and I cochaired consisted additionally of Toby Roth, Mike Barnes, Dennis DeConcini and the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Jon Christensen). Plus, of course, FMC's consultant, Walt Raymond, who did a lot to put it together. We were both briefed and debriefed by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hamilton), and other key members of the Committee on International Relations in the House and the Committee on Foreign Relations in the Senate. We also met senior officials in the State Department, the National Security Council, Stu Eizenstat, who was in Commerce at the time, but also our government's special emissary to Cuba. In addition, we made a very concentrated effort to reach out and get the views and input of experts on Cuba, from think tanks, other private groups, including, of course, representatives of the Cuban-American community. Our report's policy recommendations were entered in the Congressional Record February 26, 1997, pages E. 315 to 316.”