Charles Rangel: “young Elian Gonzalez finally got back home to Cuba with his dad. I really think that this young man has, more than any…”

“young Elian Gonzalez finally got back home to Cuba with his dad. I really think that this young man has, more than any one thing in recent history, caused the American people to focus on Cuba. I think the worst indictment that I can make about the deals that are being cut in the Committee on Appropriations is that most Americans really do not care, they do not care about Cuba, and anybody that wants to cut a deal, cut a deal, if it does not pass in the House, it will pass in the conference. What arrogance, our foreign policy, our trade policy is going to be because half a dozen people got together and decided what makes them feel good. They are going to determine who the dictators are and how foreign nationals are being treated. What happened to the old-fashioned way where we used to have hearings, we used to have witnesses, we used to have votes on the floor? I have never heard a deal being bragged about so openly. But, fortunately, this little Elian has been able to show America that some people are more concerned by the passionate dislike of who runs Cuba than what is in the best interest of the United States of America, what is in the best interest of our farmers, what is in the best interest of our trade, and they can cut a deal. If I had known this, why would I work so hard on permanent trade relations with China? I would have gone to the Committee on Appropriations and picked half a dozen people.…”