Political Quotes

“this afternoon's debate is not about American security or about support for Castro's regime. It is not even about business opportunities that may avail should we change our failed policy. This afternoon's debate is about an attempt to continue to extend this failed policy from the last 42 years. We have heard people come forward already this afternoon, making the point that it is really hard to argue that Cuba is a serious threat to United States security. It has not been named as a state that possesses biological or chemical weapons. It was not mentioned in the State Department's 2000 report of the worrisome states pursuing or possessing biological or chemical weapons. Despite all the recent hoopla regarding Under Secretary of State John Bolton's notion of Cuba being a bioterrorist threat, the State Department's been sort of backing away from that ever since. No, even if that were, in fact, the case, Mr. Chairman, what we have before us here this evening is that there is really no cause and effect between what is purported in terms of terrorism and what is before us to vote upon. As has been mentioned, we allow Americans to travel to China, to Vietnam, to the axis of evil in Iran and North Korea, which I think many people feel do pose real threats, but we are not coming forward with that.”