United States Senate

Senator Max Baucus

Introduction of "The Cuba Trade Normalization Act of 2000"
S. 2617

May 25, 2000

Mr. President, I rise today, on behalf of myself and Senators Roberts, Dorgan, and Lincoln, to introduce the Trade Normalization With Cuba Act of 2000.

For 40 years, we have implemented a series of policies designed to end Fidel Castro's leadership of Cuba . The instruments we have used have included a trade embargo, an invasion of Cuba , assassination attempts, and multilateral pressures. None of these measures has moved Cuba any closer to democracy and a market economy. In fact, the result has been just the opposite. Castro is as entrenched as ever. The economy is in tatters. The Cuban people are suffering.

For four decades, Castro has suppressed his own citizens. He has been responsible for the imprisonment and mistreatment of thousands, and the emigration of hundreds of thousands. He has dispatched Cuban troops around the world to support revolution.

During the Cold War, Cuba was an integral member of the Soviet bloc. Castro was an eager and active participant in the proxy battles fought between the United States and the Soviet Union throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

The Cold War has been over for a decade. The embargo, which had the goal of forcing Castro out of power, has failed totally. And it will continue to have no impact on the longevity of Castro's rule.

What has the embargo and American policy actually done? It has certainly done nothing to advance liberty and democracy for the Cuban people. And there are no prospects that it will.

What has the embargo done? First, it prohibits all trade with Cuba . It does include an exception for the sale of food and medicine. However, the requirements are so complex and burdensome on U.S. suppliers that very little food or medicine has been exported to Cuba . We hurt the Cuban people. We hurt American business, American farmers, and American workers. And we have had no impact on the regime.

We have succeeded in alienating virtually all potential allies who would be willing to work with us in developing a realistic policy to influence change in Cuba --the nations of the European Union, Canada, the Organization of American States, the United Nations, even the Pope.

Another accomplishment of our policy of our trade embargo, we now have a law, the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act, that prohibits lifting the embargo until there is a transition government in Cuba that does not include Castro. This is an 'all or nothing policy' that cannot work in the real world.

Unilateral trade sanctions don't work. This is as true with Cuba as it has been with China, Myanmar, Iraq, or North Korea. In some cases, it hurts the people in those countries. And it hurts Americans, our farmers, ranchers, workers, and businesses.

Forty years of sanctions have accomplished nothing in Cuba . It is time for the Congress to recognize that. I fully support the efforts being made again this year in both the Senate and the House to remove the unilateral restraints we have put on our export of food and medicine to a number of countries, including Cuba . This bill is not a substitute for those efforts. Rather, this bill is directed only toward Cuba , and goes far beyond liberalization of food and medicine exports.

Thomas Jefferson said 'Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of the day.' Current US policy turns Jefferson's statement on its head. Our effort to isolate Cuba through the trade embargo and other policies has failed to bring human rights improvement, has provided a pretext for Castro's continued repression, makes the United States the scapegoat for Castro's failed economic policies, and hurts the Cuban people.

It is time to put together a responsible strategy to improve the human condition in Cuba and set the stage for increased freedom and respect for human rights once Fidel Castro leaves the scene.

Obviously, Cuba will not change overnight with the removal of the trade embargo. But this bill is a first step down the road to a peaceful transition to a democratic society and a market economy in Cuba .

Before I conclude, I want to recognize my friend, Congressman Charles Rangel, who has been a leader in trying to end the embargo and move toward normalization of relations with Cuba . I look forward to working closely with him to make this happen.

I urge my Senate colleagues to support our effort.