Panel 2: Who Suffers?
Moderator Remarks

July 15, 2003
U.S. Rep. William Delahunt (D-MA)

Thank you Senator Dorgan for your eloquent words, and let me suggest as you leave the room rather than 'bring them on,' 'go get them.' (Laughter). Go get them today, this afternoon.

We do have a distinguished panel here today that have had personal experience. As Senator Dorgan indicated Joan Slote is with us, I think he gave an apt description of her experience. We will be hearing from her. And we have two other members of the panel who have been impacted by this policy like [OFAC] has done to so many other Americans--as others have indicated--for exercising their basic rights. Rights we can use to travel to N. Korea and other members of the axis of evil.

I enjoyed being in Havana myself back in December. I think it was with Al Fox. I also noted if you happen to be in Baghdad during the tenure of Sadam Hussein you could use your American Express card, but don't run out of cash in Havana because you couldn't use that American Express card.

I mean the absurdity of the policy is so profound as all of the speakers have indicated, and the observation of Senator Dorgan's about OFAC being utilized--imagine in a democracy, a mature democracy--to have a travel police. That is really the function they are serving, a travel police. One would expect that in the former Soviet Union, elsewhere in the world. Within the experience that some of us have had visiting totalitarian countries. But there is a travel ban.

I am hopeful that the momentum that I think we have witnessed and watched here will continue. As many of you know, the Cuba Working group on the House side continues to grow. We have now some 52 members-26 democrats and 26 republicans. And our enthusiasm continues to prosper, and it was nice to see that the Senate followed our lead (laughter) and created their own Cuba working group. But I'll tell you the difference that I believe that it has made is that we are now working on a bicameral basis, not just simply a bipartisan basis and that will make a difference. That will make a difference. We have conversations regarding strategy, and where we go doing the course of the session. Clearly events in Cuba in this past April didn't help in terms of that momentum. But I sense that the outrage that you heard from the lips of Senator Dorgan, in terms of what it means to Americans as well as Cubans is disturbing. So disturning that we are finally recognizing that this is not just about traveling to Cuba, but this is about America's moral imperatives and constitutional rights. It's what we are about as a people.

Well let me introduce the other two panelists. Phil Lovejoy, who is to my far right, is director of external affairs of the Harvard Museum of Natural History certainly not a subversive organization. I can attest to that because I live on the other side of Boston. In addition to overseeing the museum development efforts, he is also responsible for its leading edge affinity travel programs escorted by Harvard scientists that provide cultural exchanges between participants and the residents of the countries visited.

And David Cibrian. David practices international and business law with the Texas-based law firm of Jenkens & Gilcrest where he is the managing shareholder of the San Antonio office and a member of the electoral management committee. In addition to his law practice, David has participated in development issues with Asia and Latin America, and has also testified before U.S. Congressional hearings regarding U.S./Cuba foreign policy battles. He is currently a board member of Puentes Cubanas, a pro-reconciliation and engagement organization that was recently denied of its license to travel to Cuba by the travel police.

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