Marshall Sanford: “the debate on the rule has become a debate on reimportation. Therefore, I will be supporting the rule. But the…”

“the debate on the rule has become a debate on reimportation. Therefore, I will be supporting the rule. But the underlying bill I do have objection with both because of the level of cost but predominantly because of the Cuba deal. I think that this Cuba deal is fatally flawed in that it perpetuates basically the dark ages when it comes to Cuba. I know of no business after 40 years of failed policy that would say, ``Let's keep doing the same''; but that is fundamentally what this bill does, and in fact it does more than that. It threatens democratic rule. I came to the House believing in one man, one vote. If you won it fair and square on the floor, that is the way it stood. We had a vote that would allow Americans to travel to Cuba that is reversed in this Cuba deal. It threatens the idea of engagement. The Republican Party has consistently stood for the idea of engaging with other people. This deal reverses that. It threatens the power of ideas. I believe if my ideas beat your ideas, I should be able to stand there and debate that. This deal threatens that. Finally, it makes a mockery of the Constitution, which guarantees that all Americans should be allowed the right to travel. For this reason, I have very strong objections to the Cuba deal that was worked out as a part of the ag bill.”