Byron Dorgan: “I just came from a conference about 30 minutes ago dealing with the issue of travel; that is, the right of the American…”

“I just came from a conference about 30 minutes ago dealing with the issue of travel; that is, the right of the American people to travel. We have the right to travel almost anywhere. I have been to China, a Communist country; Vietnam, a Communist country; I can go to Iran or North Korea. The American people have a right to travel almost anywhere in the world--except for Cuba. Why? Because with respect to Cuba, we have had a 40-year embargo, which not only embargoes trade between this country and Cuba but prohibits the American people from traveling in Cuba. We have an organization in the Department of Treasury called OFAC, Office of Financial Assets Control, I believe it is. OFAC is an agency that is supposed to be tracking terrorists at this point. Following 9/ 11, we understand there are all kinds of terrorists and others who wish this country ill and are willing to murder Americans. As I said, one part of that is a little organization inside the Treasury Department called OFAC. OFAC is supposed to look at all the money trails to track terrorists. But that is not all they do. OFAC, as I speak today, has folks in the Treasury Department tracking American citizens who are traveling in Cuba.”