more than 12 million excuse me more than 12,000 of our graduates participating in that. as a vote of confidence in what they see as really tremendous strides of the institution around issues like administration efficiency organizational effectiveness, but it's something that every president needs to pay attention to, and we've been working on it here at spelman. >> and that fund-raising campaign is something you started about ten years ago and has now surpassed your goal on the way out of your job. you're leaving your position as president of spelman later this year. why are you leaving? what are you doing next? >> well, you know i think that if you look at the average ten usual of college presidents it's about six or seven years. i've been at this job 13. so i feel like i have done my part. and certainly, completing our successful campaign was part of what i wanted to do before ending my tenure. i've just celebrated my 60th birthday, and i look forward to

not necessarily retiring from professional activity, but transitioning into a less-demanding role. i plan to spend a lot of my time writing and look forward to that opportunity. but i feel that it's really a great time to pass the baton to the next leader because the college is in such a strong position. we have had a very successful campaign as was mentioned. our goal was $150 million. and we raised $158 million. our alumni have really rallied around the institution. we have the highest alumni participation rate ever in the history of the college. our students are doing great things. great opportunities have been made available to them. we've been able to triple our financial aid budget. so many wonderful things have been able to take place that i feel like it's a perfect moment to pass the baton to the next leader because there's a lot of momentum. >> let's go to craig waiting in missouri city, texas. you're on with dr. tatum. >> caller: yes, good morning.

i want to first thank c-span for the efforts with this tour of historical black colleges and universities. and i want to thank dr. tatum for her effort and leadership. we have a daughter attending currently at spelman. and she has bloomed. and she has taken on leadership roles. and i wanted to, dr. tatum to speak to the culture that is there of really the training of young ladies to go out and change the world. and also on top of that really speak to the need for all girls colleges and universities and the counterpart, morehouse being

an all male school, do they still have a role in college life when right now many times people are saying that you know, they're out of date. thank you. i'll hang up and listen. >> dr. tatum? >> sure. well, i think that there is definitely still an important role to be played for single sex institution, single gender institutioning. so women's colleges are well-known for providing leadership opportunities. as you mentioned your own daughter has really blossomed and is emerging as a leader here at spelman. and the reality is, in a women's environment she has the opportunity to not only be a leader herself but be inspired by women around her who she sees doing things that she might want to do. so every leadership role that you might imagine is something that a young woman at spelman can aspire to. and in fact may see someone who

looks like her already in such a role. so there's a lot of opportunity for mentorship a lot of opportunity for inspiration. and as you mentioned morehouse college is across the street which means we really have the best of both worlds. there's plenty of opportunity for coed interact if that's what you want to have. but in the classroom, you're at the center of the experience, as i said. and i think that makes a huge difference for young women giving them lots of confidence and the sense that they truly can do anything. and when we look at what our graduates do we see that they are indeed doing anything and everything that you would hope they would be able to do. >> let's head up to new york. carmine's waiting new rochelle new york. >> caller: i wanted you to know that i have a niece who attended a historically black college. but we're not african-american. we're italian. and her experience was so rewarding and so beautiful. she wasn't just accepted by the

college, the students and the president. she was embraced. and she had the most wonderful experience. >> well, i'm delighted to hear that. and i'm not surprised i have to say. you know, because we are historically black doesn't mean we are exclusionary. we welcome all students who want to come. our faculty is quite diverse. and so i'm delighted to know that that was your daughter's -- your niece's experience. but, as i said, i'm not surprised by that. because that is the history of our institutions. >> and dr. tatum how many students at spelman currently are non-african-american? >> it's a very small percentage. i would say that, you know less than 5% certainly maybe more like 2%. the reality is that most it's the unusual student, it's the unusual non-african-american student who wants to be in a

majority african-american space or a space of african-american descent. but we do have students for example. we have exchange programs around the world. and we regularly get international students who come to visit us on exchange from places like japan from the u.k., from brazil. we have students who come to us from outside the u.s. to matriculate. for example right now we have students from paris, from the continent of africa of course. from south africa, from rwanda from zimbabwe. but the reality is we don't get very many domestic, u.s. students who are not of african descent, though they are certainly welcome to come. we have students who identify as hispanic. we also have students who identify as biracial. it is a diverse community within the context of that population of african descent but there are not very many white students

at spellman right now. >> one piece of breaking news. democrats have decided to hold their national convention their 2016 convention in philadelphia. that's going to be the week of july 25. of course the week before july 18-21, republicans are holding their 2016 convention in cleveland. the news on the democratic convention just out this morning. back to the phones. aaliyah attended a historically black college or university. >> caller: good morning. thank you for having me on the show. i am an alumnus of spelman college. i want to thank you for all your work on behalf of spelman women. i think in the last 13 years we've seen the efforts to rally the alumni around the school. and we're going to miss you a lot. i recently gave birth to twins, one of whom is a daughter.

and i hope that she follows in her mom's footsteps in 18 years and enters the gates of spelman. where do you see the future a different environment for when my daughter isattendee? >> it's hard to project because so much is changing. not just for hbcus. we hear a lot about distance learning and online learning but i do believe that places like spelman will still be doing well and strong, vibrant institutions 20 years 50 years hopefully 100 years from now. we, i believe that there's a real important place in higher education for the small residential, liberal arts education that of the kind that spelman offers. we know that affordability and access are critical questions and that we have to continually strife to ensure that we are providing an education that is

affordable and accessible to our target population. but the quality that is being provided by our faculty, the global experiences that our students are having the opportunity to do undergraduate research and be well-prepared for the workplace and the graduate or professional school environment, those character ris particulars i expect to be solidly in place 10, 15, 20 50 years from now. and i hope your daughter will indeed make a choice to change the world and come to spelman college like her mom did. >> dr. tatum you talked about fund-raising at spelman. one of the major donors in the past at spelman has been the cosby family. bill cosby providing $20 million in the past to spelman college. in light of his recent legal allegations that he is facing what is spelman's kurns relationship with the cosby family? >> we have a statement on our website regarding this matter,

and i'm going to refer your watchers to that statement. >> do you want to pairraphrase it for us now to give a chance about what that statement says? >> no i think it's very concise. and anybody who wants to know about it will be happy to refer to it. i think when we think about spelman today, we think about the 12,348 new donors who contributed to our campaign in the midst of the worst recession. we celebrate that, and we know that spelman is moving forward in a wonderful direction. so i thank you for the opportunity to talk about it. appreciate this opportunity to lift up hbcus and thank c-span for the tour that they're doing. >> got time for a few more calls. just a few more minutes before the house comes in. he tina's attended an hbcu. >> caller: good morning dr. tatum. >> good morning. >> caller: it's a pleasure speaking to you.

i am a black student who attended a black college and my college was jackson state in jackson, mississippi. although i really love spelman college, my family, my parents could not afford to send me to spelman, but i wholeheartedly admire the spelman women and you can tell them they stand out. they are really different from a lot of everybody else. so congratulations for all that you're doing for the women no matter what nagtionality they are. thank you very much and congratulations. >> thank you. thank you for those kind words. >> and mark's waiting as well, columbia, south carolina. good morning. >> caller: good morning. my question is, i have a 5-year-old granddaughter. and right now she hasn't started school yet. trying to guide her and put

spelman in her head at this point and the problem is how do we get from to get to the route to get to the college? right now they're saying that oh, she's possibly going to need medication, da, da, da, da. but she's a very bright child, very independent. can it be done? and i say it in a way that financially, i would like to start now to help her save to where she won't be a burden at least financially to go to school. >> starting early, i think it's a wonderful example as a grand parent or a parent to say you know i want my child to go to college when she is ready and i want to start saving now. whether you use a 529 plan to do that or some other method but setting dollars aside to make sure that that opportunity is available to her i think is a wonderful thing to do. i know that there are many young

people who are sometimes rambunctious, and that's often a sign of intellectual curiosity. i would just say continue to encourage her to explore her intellectual interests, to create those opportunities to expand her horizons, and absolutely, save those dollars so that when she's ready you'll be ready to support her ma tricklation, perhaps in spelman. we'd love to see that happen, but any institution. i think there is nothing better than a family can do than to prepare early for that college education. we know it makes a difference in the long-term success of a young person to have access to higher education. >> ronda is in woodbridge virginia. good morning. you're on with dr. tatum. >> caller: hi good morning dr. tatum. i am calling you because my daughter insisted that i come home early to see dr. tatum on c-span. she doesn't know that i'm calling on her behalf. she's applied to spelman.

her name is danielle lyle. and she is so excited about the possibility of hopefully being accepted at spelman. and she's pretty much always gone to white schools, private schools, but she has her heart set on going to spelman. we've been out there several times. her godmother lives in atlanta. and every day she's on twitter after school. and if she could have taken off school to be here to watch your program she would be but she'll be watching it. but i'm just calling to find out, what is the possibility of her being accepted at spelman. thank you. >> well, certainly you're making a great case for her. i want to congratulate you for your efficacy, and i can't, obviously comment on her application. i haven't seen it and can't comment on the air about it, but certainly i want to thank you for your encouragement of her. and we'll keep our fingers crossed for danielle. >> and what advice would you give to students who maybe are looking to apply next year or

years beyond to get in to spelman? >> well, i would just say, take the most challenging curriculum you can in your high school. we encourage students, if they have access to ap courses or honors courses to take those courses. we know that not every high school is created equally. so there's not, every school doesn't have the same offerings from city to city. community to community. but wherever you are in your school we want you to demonstrate that you're committed to your own intellectual growth and that you have worked hard to do as well as possible in the context in which you're living. we also very much encourage students to demonstrate their leadership capacity, to volunteer, to be involved in their community. community service is a core value here at spelman. we expect our current students to participate in the local community and when students have already had those experiences we look very well on that as well. so we're looking for women who

want to make a difference in the world and have already started to do that as high school students. >> let's go to dawn in vallejo california. >> caller: good morning mrs. tatum. first, i'd like to know about your curriculum at your school. are you allowed to teach black history before slavery? and to know that we were the black jews of america and that the hispanic and native-american go right along with us. we are the jews of america. and scattered all over the earth. so i'm wondering, are you all teaching our black people so-called black people because we are hebrew israel iets jews. but the rest of the tribes are port reeken, spanish and native-american descent. do you teach this curriculum in

your school? >> dr. tatum any thoughts? >> well, let me begin by saying that we are a private institution. so of course our curriculum is not determined by the state but by our own faculty. i'm pleased to say that we have a first-year seminar that every student takes known as africans in the diaspora and the world which really does take a global perspective on the experiences of people with african descent and helps students understand there was history before slavery. in the world of the african continent, and certainly the places across the world that our populations have been distributed. so that information is part of every student's experience. and many students say that that course, we call it adw for short, is one of the most transformative experiences they have at spelman, because it

introduces them to information they've not been exposed to previously in their education. and i think that's one of the benefits of a college experience, to broaden your horizons and your understanding of yourself and the world around you. >> dr. tatum the house is about to come in but we'll see if we can get in juanita who's waiting here in washington, d.c. can you make it quick? >> caller: i can. thank you dr. tatum for your work and efforts in our community. you are an example to black women and americans in general. thank you so much. >> thank you for your kind remarks. >> dr. tatum we appreciate your time on the c-span bus this morning as we continue our washington journal tour of hbcus. >> thank you for having me and we are delighted to be a part of your series. so thank you so much. on the next washington journal, representative mike conaway discusses the president's proposal to use

force against isis. and then ted lew. washington journal, live every morning at 7:00 eastern, and can you join the conversation with your phone calls and comments on facebook and twitter. the political landscape has changed with the 114th congress. not only are there 43 new republicans and 15 new democrats in the house and 12 new republicans and one new democrat in the senate, there's also the first african-american woman in the house. keep track of the members of congress using congressional chronicle on c-span.org. it has lots of useful information there, including voting results and statistics of each session. c-span radio and c-span.org.

next, a former political prisoner testifies about human rights violations in cuba. this house foreign affairs sub committee hearing also looks at proposed changes to u.s.-cuban relations. chris smith chairs this hearing. good morning to everyone and welcome to this very timely and important hearing on human rights in cuba. we are here to examine the state of human rights which is a very timely topic indeed given the obama administrations change in policy towards cuba announced the end of last year. we are here to ask whether in undertaking this change in policy the obama administration used the considerable leverage that it wields to seek to better

the condition of the cuban people, or whether as i fear as one opportunity squandered in haste to achieve a diplomatic breakthrough and even create a legacy for the president. thus it is not only about castro regime accountability but also the obama administration's role in reminding the world that the cuba remains a communist dictatorship. and i would underscore an estimated 178 political dissidents in the last month alone. and one whose cadeo raul castro would not change in response to the obama administration's recessions. this regime continues to harbor fugitives from the justice.

such as joann chesmarch whose convicted of march of a state trooper in my own home state of the new jersey. the officer was gunned down gangland style after she escaped from prison. and yesterday roberta jacobson appeared before the committee and i asked what the response was when she raised the issue of joann to justice? she replied the cuban government stated it was, quote, not interested in discussing her return, closed quote. that is unacceptable. i have a statement i asked to be submitted for the report from christopher bergos of new jersey. where it states on behalf our jersey state troopers that, quote, we are shocked and very disappointed that returning a convicted kill ore after state

trooper was not already demanded and accomplished in the context of the steps announced by the white house regarding this despotic dictatorship. i also point out as an aside that president bergos and new jersey state police superintendent rick fuentes both wanted to be here and i look forward to hearing from them in a follow-up hearing. and fortunately it is a tremendous honor and privilege to have with us today three extraordinarily brave and uniquely qualified witnesses to the brutality of the cuban dictatorship. three human rights activists who at great personal cost to themselves and their families have and continue to stand up for human dignity. we will hear about the deplorable state of human rights in cuba. just read the state department report on human rights as well as other reporting that has been

done by other ngos. and it couldn't be more clear that human rights are violated with impunity by the castro brothers and their regime. i would note parenthetically that years ago during the reagan administration i met with amandde velidares who spent two decades in the cuban system. i read his book. he led a delegation. ileana and her staff we went time and again asking them to look at the deplorable human rights in cuba. when i met him he was able to get the u.n. to look at, pass resolution condemning the deplorable situation in cuba and to deploy a team to go to the prisons and investigate these terrible abuse of human rights. there were promises made by fidel castro that there would be no retaliation against those who

spoke in prison and the family members and friends who came forward to bear witness to a terrible truth and set of truths. everybody was retaliated against. the people in the prisons as well as their families and regrettably the u.n. was unable, perhaps unwilling but certainly unable to do anything to stop that retaliation. i have pushed for years to go to cuba. i have been denied a visa for two decades or so. i want to go to the prisons. of course i'd meet with fidel if i was able. we can't get that visa. both frank wolf and i tried a number of times and it got so bad that at one point fidel castro said we were provocateurs. i want to meet with the

dissidents. in the camp 35 where people were tortured by that dictatorship. when gusmow became the president of the east -- i went and saw him. we can't get into cuba. we even got into beijing prisoner number two where 40 activists were being forced to do labor. head shaved, gone. looked like concentration camp victims. and yet wolf and i, mr. wolf and i, could not and continue -- i can't get into those prisons. so i will be asking the government again. have already asked and have asked our government to help facilitate it to go to the prisons. and in the icrc yesterday t red cross. i asked secretary jacobson that much has been made that the icrc might be able to get into the country. that is unacceptable. get into the prisons and indeed there has to be no retaliation to those who speak out.

i would point out that after testifying here today in public. and i thank c-span and the journalists for taking this story and making americans aware of what is actually happening in cuba, right now as we meet. they will be returning to cuba. and this committee and i know the entire congress will be watching to ensure their safety and well-being and health is not further jeopardized. but the courage to come forward a congressional hearing, hearings. our friends on the senate side received compelling testimony as well. and to bear witness to an ugly truth of teacher. i recommend everyone go back and reread "against all hope." he talked about dissidents in

vats of excrement. so bad it went into their ears and nose and they got infections. he told me he and his wife when they finally got to the united states and got asylum, he said he couldn't even change diapers because the smell of excrement brought back like ptsd the memories of the cruelty imposed upon them. the castro brothers and many in this regime ought to be at the hague for crimes against humanity. that is how bad it is. these are among the worst abusers of human rights in the entire world. so again i want to welcome our brave and courageous witnesses. i want to thank ms. ros lehtinen and she has been such a leader for so long in raising the truth

of what is going on in this gulag island. i have much more to say but i'll put the rest of it into the record. i want to thank our witnesses again. i look forward to hearing their testimony. >> mr. chairman [inaudible]. >> mr. chairman i just want to take a brief moment before we turn to the brief topic of the human rights in cuba to respond a topic in last committee meeting. you made comments and engaged in line of questioning some understood as suggesting that lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans gender people do not have the basic human rights. after exchanging letters with you that i think it's important to note that while we have very different preponderances on the marriage equality you oppose i, i support it.

we both agree lgbt people have the same rights as all others to live free of the violence and persecution. you said quote unequivocally oppose acts of violence against anyone and believe human rights apply to all. and all individuals including lgbt persons should be treated with respect and compassion. i want to thank you for the opportunity to clear up the confusion over your statement and to reaffirm our shared passion for protecting human rights of all people. lgbt rights are human rights and they are entitled to live rights free from violence, intimidation, discrimination and harm. thank you mr. chairman and yield back. >> thank you mr. cicilline. i would again say we do have a fundamental difference. i don't support homosexual marriage. i know you do and i certainly support your views. i want to also point it ie universally recognize human rights for all. and again i'm glad we were able to work together.

why don't you go. >> thank you, mr. chairman. and i do appreciate your mention of that i know with your long record that you would never be okay with the egregious human rights violations taking place around the world in the lgbt community. and there is a fundamental difference between marriage, which many people have a difference around. but i know that there is no difference around lgbt rights and the violence -- and opposing the violence against lgbt people. so thank you for that. today's hearing on human rights in cuba in the context of president obama's recent announcement.

i said yesterday in our foreign affairs committee that sometimes in talking about cuba it is difficult because my colleagues, and two of my colleagues that are on the other side of the aisle right now in this hearing have family history and personal situations that make it very difficult if one does have a difference of opinion. i want to, one, respect and acknowledge what my colleagues have been through and what their families have been through. and with no disrespect or disregard for those histories want to take a few minutes and propose a different viewpoint. the president's policy of opening up relations with cuba, i actually think is a very good thing. especially for people who are concerned about human rights. during the five decades that we have not had relations with the

cuban government and the cuban people, the cuban government did experience multiple economic shocks. which did produce hardships were the people but none of it produced the popular uprises or internal resistance that might have led to a change in government. i also think the embargo prohibited economic engagement between the u.s. and cuba. and i think that many times is the ways in which societies become more open and accountable and democratic. and trade and cultural exchange becomes mutually beneficial. i think the embargo has impeded u.s. relations throughout the western hemisphere. as many latin american nations viewed the embargo itself a human rights violation against the cuban people. i have to say that as a u.s. citizen i definitely consider it my human right to be able to travel to any nation on the earth and i resented the fact that it has been difficult. americans can go to cuba and i have been to cuba but it is very difficult to go there.

and i don't believe -- and i might be wrong. but i don't believe we have that restriction against any other nation in the world. including iran, north korea and saudi arabia all of which have troubling human rights records. such travel restrictions as well as those of trade also violate the freedom of the u.s. citizens in recent polling in the news and the washington post reveal a majority of americans are supportive of moving away in the policy of disengagement and toward reestablishing ties with cuba. i also think that engagement would be good for the cuban people, as people to people exchanges and the cuban american family travel would increase cultural engagement. assist in family reunification. and this opening of space will provide improved access to cuba for non governmental organizations that are focused on governance and human rights, as well as facilitating technical assistance to cuban civil society groups concerned

with improved standards of economic and personal freedoms. i do have to say, mr. chair, you mentioned about visiting prisons in cuba. when i did go, i did visit allen gross. and i visited him in prison. and i think that it was important that during the time that mr. gross was incarcerated that a number of members of congress went over and visited him and pushed for his release. and i think that that was a contributing factor. again, i just feel that you really can't change people and governments whom you refuse to engage with. and so increased engagement to me seems like it would be a contributing factor to improving the human rights situation on the island of cuba. and i look forward to the testimony from our witnesses today. thank you. >> i'd like to now yield to the chairwoman emeritus for the full committee on the foreign affairs.

congresswoman ros lehtinen. >> thank you very much. if by visiting mr. gross you believe that you have been to a cuban jail, maybe these dissidents here could tell you what a cuban jail is really like. but we're thankful he is home. or we ask someone like mr. gusman who's in the audience today, he served 22 years in cuban prison. i want to submit for the record a letter from the international committee a foreign cuban prisoners documenting a list of the many prisoners still languishing in mr. castro's gulag. i want to thank you for convening this important hearing for your unyielding and passionate commitment to human

rights, to freedom. not just for the oppressed people of cuba but for all people. who suffer under oppressive regimes and who continue to seek even the most basic human rights. everywhere you find a political prisoner, there you will find mr. smith. so thank you for that. i also want to welcome our wonderful witnesses. all champions of freedom on the island and the faces of what freedom will look like. these are brave pro democracy activists who have seen fist hand the brutality of the regime by the constant arrests and

beatings they have had to endure. the isolation that they have had to endure while in jail. they did not have food prepared especially for them. they were starved. and after this hearing they will be going back to cuba. amazingly enough as you pointed out mr. smith to continue the fight for freedom and democracy. berta will be marching this very sunday. by the way, while all those negotiations were going on, there were 13 detentions of the ladies in white just last sunday. if you think everything is all wonderful just as ask these dissidents what life is for them. our witnesses are just three of the countless faces of cuba who went represent the people who the administration has shut out.

and rarely are they invited to meet with dignitaries. we're glad that they get the chance to go to cuba. rarely do they invite dissident who disagree with this administration. these are the people who have to suffer the consequences of the administration's decisions. it is easy for the president to change this policy in his ivory tower. these are the faces who must now suffer under a castro regime reenergized. the regime is reenergized by the obama policies and the injections of cash. the september announcement serves to embolden the regime by implying that it can continue its impressive machinery with impunity. raul castro said we will not change. and looks the other way. it undercuts the brave fighters in cuba who rightfully believe that the u.s. has turned its

back on them. don't confuse the u.s. people with the administration. just like we don't confuse the castro regime with the people of cuba. and for what are these negotiations? so that more americans can travel to cuba and see what the regime wants them to see? all the while while the regime fills its coughffer. who owns the hotels? the castro regime. what runs them? the castro military. the truth is it is a regime that severely punishes dissidents. even to this day. a young rapper sentenced to prison just last week for a year. did he commit a crime? no, his charge was dangerousness which could lead to a crime. the precogs of that movie. they predict you are going to commit a crime so they arrest you beforehand. this regime forbids reform and

will do anything. to main table -- maintain its grip on power. it forbids cubans from listening to independent private or foreign broadcasts and even censors the signals of its own ally's televised propaganda. it is important we understand the kind of the murderous regime we're dealing and that president obama wants to normalize relations with. on november 4, 1999 the house committee convened congressional hearing entitled the cuban program, torture of american prisoners by cubage agents. at that hearing you remember mr. chairman we heard testimonies

from american prisoners of war who were tortured at the prison camp in north vietnam known as the zoo during the period of the august '67-68. nineteen of those courageous servicemen were being psychologically tortured by cuban agents. and the administration states this. the following abuses continued. harsh prison conditions. arbitrary arrests. selective prosecution. denial of free trial. this is from the state department. our state department. they are still negotiating with castro while this is going on. authorities interfered with privacy, engaging in pervasive monitoring of the private conversations. the government did not respect freedom of speech and press. severely restricted internet access and maintain monopoly on media access circumstance subscribed economic freedom and -- ability of religious groups to meet and worship. our own state department. the government refused to recognize human rights group or

permit them to function legally. they can tell you about that. in addition the government continued to prevent workers from forming independent unions. where are those voices so much for independent unions here in the united states. but not for so you. you're not good enough. i'm sorry. no human rights for you. impunity for the perpetrators remain widespread end quote. we cannot continue to be the land of the free in this world if this administration doesn't defend democracy right here we cannot call for reform throughout the world if we abandon them 90 miles from our shores. thank you mr. chairman, welcome to our panel. >> chairman ros lehtinen. thank you for that powerful statement and your consistent

support, again not only of the cuban people but people who are dealing with tyrannies all over the world. >> i hope you get your visa. don't hold your breath. >> and mr. cicilline. >> thank you mr. chairman. i particularly want to thank the witnesses here today and thank you in advance for sharing your insight and your experiences. and i know that some of you are bravely joining us to share very personal stories of very difficult and painful experiences. and we are really indebted to you for your willingness do that as we discussed yesterday i continue to have the deep concerns about how the cuban government treats its citizens. but it's clear the united states policy with cuba has not worked either.

and i am hopeful that president obama's efforts to engage in really substantive negotiations to more honest ties will ultimately benefit the united states and cuban people. i hope the cuban government will come to the table to -- and it's very important for us to pay close attention to the ongoing negotiations to make sure any changes are implemented in a way maintain ours commitment of basic values and human rights. with that i yield back mr. chairman. >> now yield to my good friend and colleague. who's been a very powerful voice. mario diaz ballard and thank him for joining us. he's a member of the appropriations committee and does us the honor of being here. >> thank you for the opportunity to sit in for a few minutes. i will not be able to stay for the entirety pause i do have other meetings to go.

but i could not let this moment pass without first thanking you sir for your just steadfast leadership and your consistent leadership. whether it's been fighting for freedom and supporting the opposition in vietnam and communist china and north korea. wherever there has been oppression, mr. chairman, you have always been consistent just like chairman emeritus ileana ros-lehtinen. and i want to make a couple comments. and the ranking member who was very kind this his introduction mentioned how some of us might have family history. the issue of human rights has nothing do with family history. because i for one am opposed to oppression in communist china, in north korea, in vietnam. and i don't know. i was a very young man when we had sanctions against south africa.

and i supported the sanctions in south africa. i'm assuming that the ranking member was also opposed to sanctions in south africa. because i'm assuming obviously that she is also as consistent as the chairman is on these issues. i supported as a young man those sanctions against south africa. because doing business with the apartheid regime was not to help the struggling -- folks who were struggling for freedom in south africa. all it did was help prop up that regime in south africa. so mr. chairman i couldn't let this time to slide by. >> may i ask the gentlemen to lead for a second. >> of course with all pleasure. >> i was really only trying to acknowledge people who had personal situations. i wasn't trying to says that the only reason you are concerned with cube cuba. i just wanted to respect what i

knew you and ileana's family has been through. that was all. >> and i thank you for your kind statements. i took it as a kind statement. i want to make sure of that. but i'm just saying that the issue of human rights and the consistency on that is important. when we look at the folks that are here today -- i mentioned south africa. in front of us today are the mandelas, the hobbles. the future leaders of the free and democratic cuba. when folks talk about cuba they sometimes confuse the regime with cuba. no. this is cuba in front of us today. those who have spent years in prison. is 17 years in prison. ask him about the conditions by

ask them about how well the cuban people are treated. ask ms. fonseca. go to the youtube and look at her videos. to find out how respected and how well the people who just dare speak out for freedom are treated. ask berta soler about what happens when you just walk peacefully with a flower in your hand going to church and asking for freedom of their relatives. ask her how the cuban people are treated. so at a time when during the state of the union our president spoke about cuba -- and by the way for the first time in my recollection did i see a president speak in the state of the union about cuba and not even mention -- not even mention human rights. not even mention democracy. not even mention.

not even give lip service to elections in cuba. i am grateful to you, mr. chairman for bringing these heros, the future leaders. them and others, the future leaders of cuba to this the united states congress to testify. because again, at a time when the president, when our president has decided to ignore the repression, the arrests, heck, even sending of arms to north korea from the castro regime, this house, as it always has will continue to stand with you, with the future leaders of cuba. with the people of cuba and not with the regime. i am grateful for the opportunity mr. chairman to be able to sit in here for a few minutes. thank you sir. i yield back. >> thank you very much for your powerful statement and which has been consistent through the the

world. i'd like to recognize now mr. emmer, from minnesota. >> thank you mr. chair. and it is difficult to follow that from a new colleague. so i won't. i won't try to follow that. all i will do is say thank you for this hearing mr. chairman. especially in light of the president's decision to somehow restart diplomacy with the regime currently in charge in cuba. they talk -- and there are still concerns for some of us about why the president would have used the process he used, sidestepping the state department, having over a year of secret meetings that didn't involve normal process. but that part aside it really is all about human rights and the cuban people. which is why it's so interesting to me. the discussion about normalization of the relationship is really what we're here about today.

and i appreciate that you and the ranking member have decided that we're going to bring in some people to talk about some basic freedoms, the situation, exercise the oversight that was the jurisdiction of this committee. because thankfully the president has acknowledged that he does not have the authority to dismantle, as he suggested, the embargo and start to normalize relationships with cuba. that is up to congress. and hopefully it starts here today. and we can talk about how people can have basic and fundamental rights to assemble with people they want. to speak freely on their own behalf. and god forbid even against their government. and that people can actually practice their faith in public and be proud of it. i'm looking forward to being part of the process and i thank you again for holding this hearing. and for the witnesses i look forward to your testimony today and i yield back. >> thank you very much mr. emmer. i'd like to yield to mr. -- >> thank you mr. chairman.

>> a leader especially in this congress and human rights. >> thank you mr. chairman. forgive me being late. but i want to pay tremendous respect to those who come to testify today. each of us are still searching on the merits of why the president would make the unilateral decision that he made to provide diplomatic relationship with cuba against the wisdom of a dozen previous presidents. what he has done is elevate a terrorist state. along with cuba is syria, sudan, iran that are terror states. and now he's declared to the world that this state is acceptable to the united states.

it's a very sad day. i work -- have worked for the last 30 years with missionaries in cuba. they tell me the plight of the religious inequities and the challenges they face and people trying to live out their faith. so i am deeply concerned over the impact of what will happen. the elevation we've given to the marxist doctrine that will be encouraged throughout the world. we have dealt with cuba on an ongoing basis in the united nations. they have sought to engage those to oppose the united states and those of our closest allies, including israel. so i'm here to pay respect to you and thank you for your commitment and to clearly say to you that we stand with you fully engaged on behalf of the wonderful people of cuba.

thank you and god bless you. >> thank you very much mr. pittenger. it is now an honor to welcome our witnesses. they are doing here today in washington which they would not be able to do in cuba. especially before that rogue congress where there is really no election, no free and fair elections. first a man whose a leader in the democratic movement. he was inspired early in life by reading the declaration of human rights. rejecting the communication indoctrination he was receiving in schools. he is a leader of the non violent movements. arrested in 1990 for peacefully protesting the castro brothers regime. and endured the next 17 years in jail.

as a political prisoner. endured torture, solitary con finite and denial of medical care that almost cost him his life. since his release in 2007 he has continued to advance the cause of freedom and human rights in cuba. he also knows first hand the discrimination suffered by afro cubans on a daily basis. an underfocused upon aggressive racism employed by the regime. then mr. berta soler. the ladies in white is a movement of wives and female relatives of cuban political prisoners now evolved into the potent group open to all cuban women. mrs. soler and four others in white received the sock rov award in 2006 but the castro brothers barred them from attending the ceremonies.

sheage her husband has remained in cuba since his release rejecting an offer of immigration from spain. i would also note that the ladies in white have been nominated by ms. ros lehtinen and i and others for a nobel peace prize committee. and along with another medical doctor who's been tortured as well. he testified here as you know by way of a phone hookup and told us do not -- do not end the embargo. get the conditions first. get human rights and durable human rights at that before that embargo is lifted. and he said it even though there is great risk to himself in articulating. he pointed out as many others have pointed out that europeans have been trading with cuba for decades.

with no amelioration. then we'll hear from ms. fonseca who grew up in a household that opposed the communist system based oen the principles and religious belief. due to her family's faith she was denied the opportunity to complete our studies. she became a member of the pro human rights party. and joined the parks movement in havana. that same year she also participated with the ladies in white as the lady of support. she and her family have experienced numerous state organized mob attacks. as a result she's sought refugee status in the united states.

then mr. thale. along with a focus on specific countries and themes, he led the team that authored forging new ties. recommendations for new directions in u.s. policy towards latin america. he coordinates with business, agricultural groups to favor lifting the general travel ban on cuba. i'd like to now yield the floor to antones. >> translator: honorable christopher smith.

good morning to all participating members. my name --. i am a former political prisoner who spent 17 continues years of political imprisonment. for the sole supposed crime of calling out in a public square in my hometown of placetas for the implementation of reforms of those taking place back then in communist europe.