Top Intelligence-Defense Lawmakers Introduce Cuban Military Transparency Act

BY: CAPITOL HILL CUBANS

Top Defense Lawmakers Introduce Cuban Military Transparency Act

Bill prevents Cuban military and Interior Ministry from benefiting from new trade

Congressman Devin Nunes (CA-22), Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, introduced a bill in the House of Representatives today that would ban Americans from engaging in any financial transactions with the Cuban military or the Cuban Ministry of the Interior, or with any entity controlled by the military or the Ministry.

Supported by 32 original cosponsors, the Cuban Military Transparency Act will ensure that the Cuban people, and not the Castro regime’s repressive security apparatus, benefit from any increased trade resulting from the Obama administration’s policy to normalize U.S.-Cuban relations. Chairman Nunes and original cosponsors Mac Thornberry, Chairman of the House Armed Forces Committee, and Rodney Frelinghuysen, Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, issued the following statements:

Chairman Nunes: "Despite the Obama administration’s attempts at reconciliation, the Castro regime continues to oppress the Cuban people and to shelter members of the Cuban military responsible for shooting down U.S. civilian aircraft in the Florida Straits. This bill will ensure that the government entities responsible for these acts – the Cuban military and the Interior Ministry – will not reap the rewards of increased trade with the United States."

Chairman Thornberry: "I believe that most Cubans are good people who yearn for freedom and opportunity, but we must ensure that any expansion of trade with or travel to Cuba does not strengthen the brutal Castro regime. I look forward to the day when we can pursue completely free trade and travel between the U.S. and Cuba, but current circumstances require us to move cautiously, as this legislation does."

Chairman Frelinghuysen: "While the Obama Administration appears to be handing the Castro regime everything it wants without placing serious demands on the Castro government, it is absolutely unthinkable that the White House would act to benefit the Cuban military which has violated numerous U.N. resolutions and provided aid and comfort to all sorts of malevolent groups in our own hemisphere."