June 26, 2007

Background to the Foreign Operations vote:

Overall Voting Breakdown
Key Votes/New Member Votes

On June 21, the full House of Representatives voted on the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill. Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), with Congressman Albio Sires (D-NJ), offered an amendment to the bill which proposed an increase in funding from $9 million (which was the level written into the bill by the committee) for Economic Support Funds for dissidents in Cuba up to the level of President Bush's original request of $45 million - a 500% increase! Unfortunately, their amendment passed by 254-170.

As you are aware, these funds, which many refer to as "democracy building" support, are misused and mismanaged. A recent Government Accounting Office (GAO) study revealed that these funds managed by USAID and subcontracted out to hard-line Cuban-American groups in South Florida are not being used for the purposes they are intended (support for civil society and dialogue in Cuba). The GAO report said that "poor monitoring and oversight of the Cuba program did not provide adequate assurance that funds were properly used." There were instances in which cashmere sweaters, Godiva chocolates, Nintendo Game Boys, and Sony Play Stations were among the items purchased in the United States with this money.

Greater (and positive) interaction with Cuban society can only be achieved by lifting the travel ban and allowing for students, academics, religious workers, Cuban Americans, the agricultural community, and others (like you and me!) to interact broadly with Cuban society.

ACTION: If your member of Congress voted YES on the Diaz-Balart amendment, please contact him/her and express your dismay. If your member voted NO on the Diaz-Balart amendment, please contact her/him to express your thanks. In both cases, ask your member of Congress to vote IN FAVOR of any efforts in the House of Representatives to end the ban on travel to Cuba for all Americans.

FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 527

(Democrats in roman; Republicans in italic; Independents underlined)

H R 2764 RECORDED VOTE 21-Jun-2007 2:56 PM
AUTHOR(S): Lincoln Diaz-Balart of Florida Amendment
QUESTION: On Agreeing to the Amendment

Ayes Total: 254
Democrats: 66
Republicans: 188

Noes Total: 170
Democrats: 164
Republicans: 6

Not Voting Total: 13
Democrats: 5
Republicans: 8

AYES 254

NOES 170

NOT VOTING 13

Some Key Votes:

New Members who voted FOR the Diaz-Balart Amendment (a bad vote)
(Italics are Republicans)

Members who are usually good on Cuba but voted FOR the
Diaz-Balart Amendment (a bad vote)

New Members who voted AGAINST the
Diaz-Balart Amendment (a good vote)

Republicans who voted AGAINST the Diaz-Balart
Amendment (a good vote)

Emerson (MO)
Flake (AZ)
Johnson (IL)
Jones (NC)
Moran (KS)
Paul (TX)

New bills on Cuba introduced in the House (HR 2819)and Senate (S 1673) :
At a news conference on Capitol Hill on Thursday, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D-NY), along with Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO), introduced legislation to ease agricultural trade and other restrictions against Cuba, and to end the travel ban. In a press release, the members pointed out that since 2005 U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba have dropped by nearly 15 percent.

ACTION: Call your representative and two senators and ask them to cosponsor these bills.

We do not have information about when the votes will come to the floor, but we will keep you posted!