mr. castro. you have both down yourself proud tonight and represent the spirit what we're trying to accomplish here. sharing of ideas in this process. i want to thank all of you. we'll move on to the next panel, i want thank you all very much. if you have anything you have in writing, leave it for the awesome stenographer trying to stay up with all the words that we give here. we have, that i'm aware of, two additional members. i'd also like to note that mr. glen glockman who is from wisconsin has been attending this hearing for a couple of hours and i think it is rather telling after new freshman who has taken time not to try to barge their way up here to get up in front of the camera but rather who is taking a good view from the back row today and i'd like to pat him on the back for coming up to the rules committee and watching this as we proceed. miss lee, it's all yours and we're now at the end of about six hours. we're going to try not to show it but i would hopefully express the gentlewoman

mr. castro added it wasn't the only one. guantanamo bay is the other key obstacle.nt of diplomatic relations is the start of the process towards the normalization of bilateral relations. but this won't be possible while the economic blockade exists or a territory illegally occupied by the guantanamo naval base does not return. >> his comments come just days after the u.s. state department and the cuban government sat down for historic talks in havana. at that meeting, both sides indicated the progress albeit slow was being made. mr. castro suspected that diplomatic ties could be reestablished without these steps being taken, but he urged president obama to wield more of his executive powers to bypass the embargo. >> the bbc has been given exclusive footage of a former chinese government official meeting the dalai lama. there's been no formal talks between the two sides since 2010. but the video dated two years later provides a rare glimpse of a communist party member making a direct overture to the spiritual leader of tibetan buddhism, a man officially viewed as a d

mr. castro valley as well union city. 64 danville 66 unpleasant than. thing for pleasanton very pleasant. 62 in san francisco after it highs. for sunday on the bay forecasts on try and only getting hotter by the weekend. quickies see a solution for parents and heats the getting torn apart by the researchers what they want a tasty food is really doing. >> pam: in sports the raiders have the new offensive coordinator terry has a cladism or is strata that shed another franchise record high whats all sports coming up next for over 60,000 california foster children nights can feel long and lonely. i miss my sister. i miss my old school. i miss my room. i don't want special treatment. i just wanna feel normal. to help, sleep train is collecting pajamas for foster children, big and small. bring your gift to any sleep train and help make a foster child's night a little cozier. not everyone can be a foster parent but anyone can help a foster child. ooooh... i can hear that sizzle. getting louder! and louder! philly cheesesteak and egg sizzling with prime rib and

mr. castro who by the way i think takes an opportunity to instult the president. whether you agree with the obama maneuver or not, it was the first olive branch ever extended to cuba. so i think if you are mr. kas -- iran as we're seeing now, syria and these prison trade swaps, they know the president frankly is a weak negotiator and does not necessarily have the type soft strength that they think will overcome them and they think they have the advantage. >> but bernard, doesn't the president want what reuhlaul castro wants? >> he does want to close gitmo that doesn't mean turning it over to the cube bangs. this is absurd posturing, it's not surprising at all, it's going to take some time for real political change to come out of cuba. but the idea that he would somehow come back -- >> why is he asking for this? >> why not? because they're crazy. >> then why did we do a deal with them? >> because it's time after 50 years to bring cubaea back into to the international community. that doesn't mean we're going to kowtow to raul castro. >> is this why we have had a tra

mr. castro made clear that there will be no changes in cuba. >> even some foreign policy heavyweights who support mr. obama's policy shift say he needs to show progress on this front. >> if the white house has cut a deal that involves as part of the quid pro quo, a return of political prisoners, they've got to really make sure that that happens. otherwise, they're going to look like they have been taken advantage of. clearly that's not in anybody's interest. >> the state department says the opening round of normalization talks between the u.s. and cuban officials will likely commence in havanalve vanvana in two weeks time. despite there being a deal between president obama and the castros is not a prerequisite for the u.s. to move a forward with those talks. >> what do you think? do you think the cuban prisoners will be freed in and what do you make of the administration's new policy toward the cubans. >>> up next in the grapevine, tough sledding in the manny state. a favorite winter activity is melting away in cities across the country. >>> a new anti-terrorism plan being considered by t

mr. castro. mr. castro:the senators and representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the united states and of the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this constitution, but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the united states. mr. goodlatte: i now yield to the gentleman from california mr. lowenthal. mr. lowenthal:article vii the ratification of the conventions of nine states, shall be sufficient for the establishment of this constitution between the states so ratifying the same. mr. goodlatte: i now yield to the gentleman from michigan. >> gone in convention of the united states, presented in one,000 seven00 andate the 12th and witness whereof we have here unto subscribed our names. mr. goodlatte: i now yield to the gentlewoman from connecticut, ms. esty. ms. esty:george washington, president and deputy from virginia, dela

mr. castro. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas is recognized for one minute. mr. castro: thank you, congressman polis, and thank you, mr. speaker. you know, democrats have said all along that we understand that when you have a bill that is this wide in scope whether it's hundreds of pages or thousands of pages, regardless of the subject matter whether it's health care or education or banking or anything else, that it's likely not going to be perfect. that we are always willing to come back and look at making reasonable changes and tweaking it to make it better. and that we would be willing to work with republicans to do it. and we demonstrated that a few days ago when congressman davis received an overwhelming support of both republicans and democrats to make sure that employers don't have to count folks who are receiving coverage through the v.a. or through some other v.a.-related health care coverage. this however is unreasonable. this action, this bill, would mean that a million americans would lose health care coverage. a million americans. we are expecting, be

mr. gutierrez, ms. castro, i did not have you on the list but i'm delighted you are here. you have been here for a couple of hours. i would like to go to you first. i will go back and forth. pitchers normally go last in the batting order anyway so it is nothing new here. without objection, anything you have been writing will be on record and we are delighted you are here. >> thank you, mr. chairman. noting that my friend judge carter and the ranking member spoke on the underlying registration, i will limit my comments to the five amendments that were released on friday night. the first amendment offered is designed to prevent all but one of the executive actions announced by the president from taking place. this includes the deferred actions for parental accountability initiatives that would offer temporary protection from deportation. and the expansion of the deferred action for child arrival initiatives for people who were brought to the country as children web extensive ties to the -- who have extensive ties to the community. it would ensure that we continue to support

president raul castro announced a diplomatic breakthrough last month. mr. obama formally asked congress last night, to end the half-century old embargo. >> when what you're doing doesn't work for fifty years, it's time to try something new. ( laughter ) >> ifill: but not all in congress support the president's moves on cuba, as republican ileana ros-lehtinen of florida

mr. castro: thank you, mr. speaker. this piece of legislation is both risky and callous. it asks americans to give in to their worst instincts. if you or someone you know is out of a job, blame an immigrant. if an undocumented person commits a crime, they are all like that. we are at a hometown where there are growing security threats to our nation, and republicans in this house of representatives are willing to play russian roulette with the security of the american people. the american people know better. wide majorities support comprehensive immigration reform including those in my home state of texas. majorities disagree with taking away dacca for young kids who came here through no fault of their own. i leave you with this question to ponder, my colleagues. what do you tell somebody who is three years old, was brought here to the united states of america knows no other country and no other language but the english language, what do you tell that person when you tell them that they got to leave here? this is the only life that they have ever known. how are they not as

mr. castro. mr. castro:the senators and representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the united states and of the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this constitution, but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the united states. mr. goodlatte: i now yield to the gentleman from california mr. lowenthal. mr. lowenthal:article vii the ratification of the conventions of nine states, shall be sufficient for the establishment of this constitution between the states so ratifying the same. mr. goodlatte: i now yield to the gentleman from michigan. >> gone in convention of the united states, presented in one,000 seven00 andate the 12th and witness whereof we have here unto subscribed our names. mr. goodlatte: i now yield to the gentlewoman from connecticut, ms. esty. ms. esty:george washington, president and deputy from virginia, dela

mr. duffy and my predecessor, of course the importance of including the castro in the outreach to help the castro for the shambles the folks are not here as well as the other areas we have a population that needs the outreach and i think sometimes because of the very, very significant challenges in other parts of the city we don't get the same level of focus it's not a criticism only a reality i'm happen to support this today so with that, moaning can i have a motion to forward this to the full board reception. >> as a committee report? i'd like to make a motion to move this forward with a positive recommendation >> we'll take that without objection. that will be the order thank you madam clerk call item number 4. >> item 4 an ordinance mit the general plan. >> why not wait - >> sure. >> here i have a whole box. >> thank

mr. chairman. >>> former cuban leader fidel castro breaking his silence at least on paper over normalization talks, writing a letter over the matter, releasing one, at least. the 88-year-old still hasn't been seen in public in more than a year. no date has been set for a second round of talks between the united states and cuba. the president's unilateral efforts to normalize relations driving a surge as well and the illegal immigration of cubans to this country. the federal government reported coast guard interceptions of cubans on boats and rafts has risen 117% from a year ago and interceptions of cubans at the miami airport and along our southern border have risen 65%. >>> we are coming right back with much more. stay with us. >>> the white house relents, releases more than 15,000 benghazi documents. when heartburn comes creeping up on you... fight back with lief so smooth... .it's fast. tums smoothies starts dissolving the instant it touches your tongue ...and neutralizes stomach acid at the source. tum, tum tum tum...♪ smoothies! only from tums. >>> the benghazi stonewall goes on. the state de

i guess the choking in cuba is raul castro has not changed other will said mr. ibaba has changed because his policy resembles the way fidel castro there is new discussion in this is what we deal with. a year and another issue but i often did come across why do cuban-americans have to play a rule -- a role in policy? is this something that is not appropriate? and i hear that sometimes that is what the government says. but they forget cuban americans are here and have been for more than 50 years. the pay taxes to become presidents of universities and serve in the armed forces and if anybody wants to go with me this afternoon to the vietnam memorial you can put your hand on the name of cuban-americans who died serving under the american flag. i think they have earned a right to like people in the jewish community or black americans or gay americans or people love the financial sector to be a part of the discussion and not to be ignored when something significant to them is being discussed. some they had a significant having been done in secret that would affect the

i guess the joke in cuba is that while castro hasn't changed some say mr. obama has changed because his handling of the policy resembles very much the way that castro handles everything in cuba. it's in secret, doesn't consult with anybody. this is what we are dealing with. another issue that i often come across when i speak at a university is again coming from the cuban government lied to the cuban-americans have to play a role in the u.s. cuba and was -- policy. is there something that is not appropriate? i hear that sometimes. but they forget the cuban-americans are here for more than 50 years. cuban americans pay their taxes they become presidents of universities they serve in the armed forces and if anybody wants to go with me this afternoon to the vietnam lamoriello you can put your hand on the name of cuban-americans who died serving under the american flag. i think that's cuban-americans have earned their right like people in the jewish community like black americans like the financial sector to be part of a discussion and not to be ignored when some

talks were made possible after president obama and cuban president raul castro announced a diplomatic breakthrough last month. mra formally asked congress last night, to end the half-century old embargo. >> when what you're doing doesn't work for fifty years, it's time to try something new. ( laughter ) >> ifill: but not all in congress support the president's moves on cuba, as republican ileana ros-lehtinen of florida told the newshour last night. >> he gave no words of encouragement for freedom, for liberty, for human rights. all he did was give away the store to the castro regime. it's a shameful thing. >> ifill: back in cuba, ordinary citizens said this week they're looking to the material gains that a changing relationship could bring. >> ( translated ): i hope they open more businesses, that there is more tourism, that food imports come in, spare parts come in, that lots of things start coming in that we need to see here in cuba. >> ifill: cuba is already drawing more tourists each year, but the u.s. hopes to see more american diplomats allowed in as well. for more on this turning point in u.s.-cuban relat

i guess a joke in cuba is that while raoul castro has not changed, some people say that mr. obama has changed, because his handling of the cuban policy resembles the way that raoul castro handles everything with cuba. there is no discussion in the media. this is what we are dealing with. another issue that is often -- that i often come across when i speak is, again, coming from the cuban government, why did the cuban-americans have to play a role in the u.s.-cuban policy? question is, are cuban-american doing something that is not appropriate? i hear that sometimes. that is what the cuban government says. that is what the policy of the castro government says. they forget that the cubans here have been here for more than 50 years. they pay their taxes they become presidents at universities, they served in the armed forces, and if anybody wants to go with me this afternoon to the vietnam memorial, you can put your hand on the name of cuban-americans who have died serving under the american flag. i think cuban-americans have earned a right like people in the jewish community lik

mr. speaker, why the administration must re-examine its relationship with castro and impose strict sanctions against the thugs not offer it concessions for all of these transgressions. just like a zebra cannot change its stripes the castro regime cannot and will not change its anti-freedom, terrorist ways. it is our duty to support democracy and be a voice for those 11 million cubans oppressed throughout the island. by appeasing dictators we have disappointed people all over the world who are struggling to achieve freedom, and the white house has betrayed core american values and principles, the respect for human rights and the right for people to choose their own destiny. as the first cuban american-born member of congress who went from being a political refugee, fleeing the oppressive and brutal castro regime, to a senior member of this hallowed and cherished body, i will fight tooth and nail to ensure that the cause for freedom and democracy in cuba is not forgotten. until the oppressive yolk of tyranny installed by the castro brothers has been lifted and the regime has been replaced by a

mr. speaker why the administration must re-examine its relationship with castro and impose strict sanctions, not operate concessions for all of these transgressions. just like a zebra cannot change its stripes, the castro regime cannot and will not change its anti-freedom terrorist ways. it is our duty to support democracy and be a voice for the 11 million cubans oppressed throughout the island. by appeasing dictators, we have disappointed people all over the world who are struggling to achieve freedom. and the white house has betrayed core american values and principles the respect for human rights and the right of people to choose their own destiny. as the first cuban american-born member of congress, who went from being a political refugee fleeing the oppressed castro regime, to a senior member of this cherished body, i would fight tooth and nail to ensure the cause of freedom and democracy in cuba is not forgotten. until the oppressive yoke of tyranny installed by the castro brothers has been lifted and the regime has been replaced by a representative democracy like the one we have here

in these talks castro said how would we restore normal relations with the united states of america? donovan said, mr. premier, do you know how porcupines make love? [speaking spanish] what is that? the answer was no common he didn't know. donovan said very carefully. that is how you and the united states will begin to discuss restoring relations. i will help and do the best i can with that. donovan came back with this message that kennedy was interested. -- that castro was interested in better relations. curiously, the bureaucracy went into overdrive for instructions for him. they wanted him to go back to cuba until castro if he severed his relations with the soviet union and made it clear he was pulling his asians out of west -- agents out of western america we could talk. this proposal were brought to the president of united states. this document is the key document. when i found this in the kennedy library i felt that it was the most important documents of the kennedy administration. the president overruling his aides on these restrictive instructions and saying we want to have better relations w

mr. bilirakis, i thank you for your clear and consistent message that restriction should not be lifted against the castroe until those conditions are met. our next speaker, mr. speaker, is the gentleman from alabama, congressman bradley byrne who so understands that good trade is based on free and fair countries that cheerish the principles on which our great country was founded. freedom democracy, respect for the rule of law, all of which are missing in today's cuba. his great city of mobil, alabama, will greatly -- of mobile, alabama will greatly benefit once we have free trade and fair trade with a democratic cuba. i yield three minutes to the gentleman from mobile, alabama. mr. byrne: i thank the gentlewoman for the time and for your leadership on this issue. as she said i represent mobile, alabama. if you look at a map, it's a straight shot north from havana to mobile. for over three century, mobile has been a major port for the export and import of goods between cuba and the united states. it is in the economic best interest of the people in my district for taos get to a point where we have normali

mr. speaker. the recent concessions by president obama to the castro regime mark a drastic departure from one of the most consistent tenants of the united states foreign policy and traditional american values and sets a dangerous precedent for other rogue regimes to emulate. the pardoning of convicted cuban spies follows an ill advised exchange with the taliban in which the rhetoric emerging from the white house to justify is actions has been unnervingly similar. as predicted the course of policy by this administration on caving to terrorist demands makes the united states more vulnerable and we set those rep -- we see those rep cushions manifest themselves across the globe. just recently venezuela's thug jumped at the opportunity to request an exchange of a convicted criminal in the united states for the freedom of pro democracy leader lopez who has been jailed in venezuela. this is not the way to protect national security interests throughout the world. this is the way of putting them in jeopardy. when we hoist americans to convicted spies we set a dangerous precedent for the world to follow. the

castro. the people are cuba are not cattle. so that mr. obama can change our principles and our dignity.s deals. or false agreements with the regime. they will continue we're seeing now the evidence how the beatings, the slappings, the jail cells and cells being filled continues. there are still patrol boats looking for those trying to leave the island. what it tells me is that change is not coming because they removed the embargo, change will not come. >> there's a group of you for democracy, a large swathe of the people in cuba what do you feel about the future. >> translator: these relations strengthen the regime. detriment of the resistance. in the way that the government gets stronger, the opposition gets weaker. last night in the speech we saw something which we think is ignorant and lack of respect to our agreement in the island. president obama mentioned cuba never mentioned opposition never mentioned human rights never mentioned political prisoners. only talked about the embargo, as if what cuba needs is only money. as i said cuba is hungry. we are hungry hungry for freedom, for

mr. desantis. you're so right when you categorized this unilateral bad deal as an economic life line to the castro regime. and a person who understands that just as well as you do is our next speaker the gentleman from iowa, a senior member of the house committee on agriculture, congressman steve king. and he could say, hey my state is going to benefit a lot by this deal. the sad reality is that castro doesn't pay his debt, as we had just said with the other speaker. he owes everybody money. this deal will not strengthen u.s. national security, it will not be good for america's farmers and it will not be good for the people of cuba. congressman king for four minutes. mr. king: i thank the gentlelady from florida for organizing this special order and i associate myself with her words, her position. also of that the gentleman from florida who i didn't mr. speaker, realize how much was in him about this issue. it was instructive for me to listen to that. i've had the privilege of serving here in congress with a good number of members that do a great job of representing the interests of the cuban peop

mr. gross is home but i'm glad speaker boehner had great pro democracy advocates for cuba as his guests. all he did was give away the store to the castro regime. it's shameful. >> i know you believe his cuba policy -- >> very weak. domestic policy, he talked about middle class economy, he says millions of jobs have been great and says change needs to be to happen to help the middle class including changes in the tax code. what about hiss argument the economy has not improved and we need to raise taxes on the wealthy. >> what the president is saying is let's punish folks who are creating jobs, who are the folks out there making risks for america's economy. we all believe in a fair tax code, in a tax code fair for everyone burks this class warfare he claims to be against, he's the one who originates it, he's putting the rich against everyone else and i don't think that's right. we want to lift all votes and i don't think he's for this middle class economy he talks about. talks a good game but it's everything giving away, you know, college tuition free, i mean, everything is free and very affordable. where is that money coming from? it's

mr. president. the fact is as someone who has -- someone who has spoken out time and again on the repression of the cuban people under the castro regime, someone whose family has suffered the consequences, i believe the agreement the administration has reached with the castro regime is one-sided and misguided. it fails to understand the nature of the regime that has exerted its authoritarian control over the cuban people for over 55 years. now, no one wishes that the reality in cuba was more different than the cuban people and cuban americans that have fled the island in search of freedom. in december, the same month that the president announced changes to u.s. policies the cuban commission for national rights and reconciliation, a group that works within cuba, documented 489 political arrests, bringing the total number of political arrests during the first 11 months of 2014 to nearly 8,900. this is a regime that imprisoned an american citizen for five years for distributing communications equipment on the island. releasing political prisoners today in cuba is meaningless if tomorrow these individuals can be arrested again and