Byron Dorgan: “However, let me put in a word on behalf of family farmers in our country who would say to you ``don't use food to punish…”

“However, let me put in a word on behalf of family farmers in our country who would say to you ``don't use food to punish people; don't use food as a weapon.'' That is what this issue is about. Let me stipulate to all what has been said about Cuba or Castro or terrorism. Let me stipulate to all of it, and then ask you the question: When you use food and medicine as a weapon against a country, any country, what on Earth have you accomplished when the day is done? What have you accomplished? We have had a vote in the Senate on this subject before. Over 70 Members of the Senate said we ought not use food and medicine as a weapon. We ought not, in the conduct of foreign policy, trying to punish some other country, use food and medicine. It is unseemly. It is wrong. It is not the moral thing to do. Over 70 Members of the Senate have already voted on that. Did we get it done? No, because it got hijacked in a conference with the House of Representatives on two occasions.”