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

ms. fonseca for such time as you may consider.[speaking spanish] >> translator: my name is -- [speaking spanish] >> translator: i was born in 1970 and two cuban family that since 1959 had been branded as a dissident from the state. [speaking spanish] >> translator: were classified as counterrevolutionaries because we were opposed to the incipient castro regime. [speaking spanish] >> translator: for over half a century cuba the castro regime has violated and violates human rights. [speaking spanish] >> translator: from the beginning crimes murders political prisoners and people discriminating. >> translator: all those who speak out against the regime are brutally repressed, imprisoned or murdered. [speaking spanish] >> translator: in spite of having been raised within communism they were never able to convince us that is the right way to live. [speaking spanish] >> translator: is a human rights activist i participated in organizing demonstrations in havana. [speaking spanish] >> translator: among them the historic demonstration in

ms. fonseca. go to the youtube and look at her videos. 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 prosecute has 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. w

ms. fonseca? >> [speaking spanish] >> yes, i have something to say. remember that in 1990 -- i do not have a precise amount, a precise number. my youngest son was born prematurely. and where he was born, i saw several children died. however, i know that the hospital never reported those deaths. i did not like to listen to fidel castro's speeches, but sometimes i had to because you need to hear with the enemy says. and fidel castro is the enemy of cuba. i listened to the dictator's speech that year. and he said that -- i don't know what the statistic was, but it referred to the child mortality rate in cuba being very low. but having been pregnant, and having the difficult situation with my son, i had been in two hospitals. and i can assure you that many more children had died. but also, i never received adequate medical assistance in order to help me in childbirth. in cuba, medicine and education are only good for those who sympathize with the regime. that is my testimony with regards to the child mortality rate in cuba. and as to what kind of treatmen

ms. fonseca. [speaking spanish] >> translator: yes i have something to say. i remember in 1990 i don't have a precise i don't have a precise number. [speaking spanish] >> translator: my youngest son was born prematurely. [speaking spanish] >> translator: when he was born i saw several children however i know the hospital never reported those death nationally or internationally. [speaking spanish] >> translator: i didn't like to listen to fidel castro speeches but sometimes i have to. [speaking spanish] >> translator: fidel castor is the enemy and fidel castro is the enemy of cuba. [speaking spanish] >> translator: i listened to the dictator's speech that year. [speaking spanish] >> translator: and he said i don't know if the specifics were pretty referred to the child mortality rate in cuba being very low. [speaking spanish] >> translator: but having my son i had been into hospitals and i can assure you many more children have died. but also -- [speaking spanish] >> translator: i never received adequate medical assistance. in order to help me in childbirth. [

ms. fonseca, two of those individuals are going back. talk about bravery. speaking to the senate. now to the house. they're going back. and yet the post which is hardly a conservative bass chon talk thes about a betrayal of cuban democrats. with no consequences in sight cuba continues to crack down on free speech. i would ask you, now an assessment since it's been in effect. the negotiations and publicity or visibility of them. are there second thoughts? 2012, iliana ross layton and i heard from dr. b with ichette who said the same scenarios playing out were free. five have been rearrested. it's part of the modus operandi. some 100 to 200 have been arrested. is it true or not. some comments have been made they may go to cuba. that's not the issue. they need to go to the prisons. last time they were able to negotiate that when he walked point in the 1990s i was with him in je rene va when he secured that. representatives went into the prisons, interviewed people and everybody, including family members were severely retaliated against. they have to have unfettered access to the pris

ms. fonseca, bienvenidos.ng spanish] [speaking spanish] you have my full admiration, my full respect for what you're doing in the fight that you were waging. an example, not only for your country but for my countrymen as well. and 80 that i can do to help you in this sacred fight, i am willing and enthusiastic to do so. i'm so sad sometimes brokenhearted for your suffering and your injuries. and i can't imagine what it would be like. [speaking spanish] and so i want to tell you whole heartedly how much i support what you are doing. [speaking spanish] >> mr. clawson, thank you so very, very much. if you would like to respond, ms. bass does have a plane to catch and ask if she could -- >> yes, thinking mr. chair. and thank the witnesses for the testimony. i have a couple of questions. i sit on the board of the national endowment for democracy come and there's about 27 organizations that are funded to help with activists in cuba. some of the organizations are funded in cuba, some are funded in miami. and i just w