News Release, May 25, 2000

77 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS FILE LEGISLATION TO AID THE BRAVE CUBAN INTERNAL OPPOSITION

Washington, DC -  A bi-partisan group of 77 members (61 Republicans and16 Democrats) of the United States Congress introduced "The Cuban Internal Opposition Assistance Act of 2000" yesterday, to assist the brave internal opposition struggling for democracy inside Cuba.

Citing the large number of Cubans who are the victims of the most extreme political oppression, specifically, former political prisoners, activists of the internal opposition and their immediate relatives, and noting that these brave pro-democracy activists are systematically denied access to all forms of assistance by the Cuban dictatorship, the legislation calls for the United States to provide "democracy assistance" to the Cuban internal opposition.  The legislation states that among the purposes of the act, is "to take advantage of the historic opportunity created by the increasing efforts and accomplishments of courageous independent non-governmental opposition organizations in Cuba to achieve freedom for the Cuban people and to assist the Cuban people to secure the blessings of liberty". 

The prime author of the legislation, Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL) stated that, "The central focus of the international community's policy toward Cuba, especially the United States, must be to assist the brave internal opposition struggling for democracy inside the enslaved island. The Cuban Internal Opposition Assistance Act seeks to make certain that the Cuban internal opposition is supported by the United States in a similar manner to how President Reagan supported the Polish internal opposition during the 1980's."

Congressman Robert Menendez (D-NJ) stated, "Those who say they support human rights and democracy in Cuba, should join us in our efforts to strengthen and nurture human rights activists and political dissidents, as the United States did in Poland, the Czech Republic and other former communist bloc countries."

"The oppressed  men and women of Cuba, who long for freedom and democracy and have the courage to speak out against Castro's totalitarian regime, deserve that Congress do everything we can to support their struggle for liberty," declared Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.  "My colleagues should extend a helping hand to the opposition on the island and help them break the shackles of tyranny." The following members of Congress are the original co-sponsors of the Cuban Internal Opposition Assistance Act of 2000:

Mr. Robert E. Andrews (D-NJ) Mr. Bill Archer (R-TX) Mr. Spencer Bachus (R-AL) Mr. Cass Ballenger (R-NC) Mr. Roy Blunt (R-MO) Mr. Dan Burton (R-IN) Mr. Henry Bonilla (R-TX) Mr. Richard Burr (R-NC) Mr. Charles T. Canady (R-FL) Mr. Chris Cannon (R-UT) Mr. Steve Schabot (R-OH) Mr. Christopher Cox (R-CA) Mr. Joseph Crowley (D-NY) Mr. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-CA) Mr. Tom DeLay (R-TX) Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL) Mr. Peter Deutsch (D-FL) Mr. John T. Doolittle (R-CA) Mr. David Drier (R-CA) Ms. Jennifer Dunn (R-WA) Mr. Elliot L. Engel (D-NY) Mr. Mark Foley (R-FL) Mr. Vito Fossella (R-NY) Ms. Tillie Fowler (R-FL) Mr. Bob Franks (R-NJ) Mr. Rodney P. Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) Mr. Benjamin A. Gilman (R-NY) Mr. William F. Goodling (R-PA) Mr. Porter J. Goss (R-FL) Mr. Luis V. Gutierrez (D-IL) Mr. Gil Gutknechet (R-MN) Mr. James V. Hansen (R-UT) Mr. Doc Hastings (R-WA) Mr. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) Mr. Asa Hutchinson (R-AR) Mr. Henry J. Hyde (R-IL) Mr. Walter B. Jones (R-NC) Mr. Patrick J. Kennedy (D-RI) Mr. Peter T. King (R-NY) Mr. Jack Kingston (R-GA) Mr. Tom Lantos (D-CA) Mr. Rick Lazio (R-NY) Mr. John Linder (R-GA) Mr. Ken Lucas (R-KY) Mr. Donald A. Manzullo (R-IL) Mr. Bill McCollum (R-FL) Mr. Scott McInnis (R-CO) Mr. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (R-CA) Ms. Carrie P. Meek (D-FL) Mr. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) Mr. Dan Miller (R-FL) Ms. Sue Wilkins Myrick (R-NC) Mr. Robert W. Ney (R-OH) Mr. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) Mr. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ) Mr. Collin C. Peterson (D-MN) Mr. Richard W. Pombo (R-CA) Ms. Debra Price (R-OH) Mr. Thomas M. Reynolds (R-NY) Mr. James E. Rogan (R-CA) Mr. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) Ms. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) Mr. Steven R. Rothman (D-NJ) Mr. Joe Scarborough (R-FL) Mr. Pete Sessions (R-TX) Mr. John B. Shadegg (R-AZ) Mr. Clay E. Shaw (R-FL) Mr. Brad Sherman (D-CA) Mr. Christopher Smith (R-NJ) Mr. Mark E. Souder (R-IN) Mr. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) Mr. William M. Thomas (R-CA) Mr. James A. Traficant, Jr. (D-OH) Mr. J.C. Watts, Jr. (R-OK) Mr. Dave Weldon (R-FL) Mr. Robert Wexler (D-FL) Mr. Frank R. Wolff (R-VA)