This week, two Republicans from Florida led the charge in Congress to ensure the Castro regime pays its legal bills before America normalizes relations with Cuba.
On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., teamed up with U.S. Sen. David Vitter, R-La., to bring out the Cuban U.S. Claims Settlement Act." Pointing to the Castro regime facing between $7-$8 billon in claims, Rubio and Vitter called for Americans whose property was seized by the Cuban communists to be compensated before normalizing relations.
Many families and entities in the U.S. and around the world deserve just compensation for the properties the Castro regime seized from them and has been making money off of to repress the Cuban people, said Rubio. At the very least, President Obama and any future president should force the Castro regime to pay back the people they stole from before travel and trade restrictions are eased.
Its obvious that President Obama wants a quick fix, but we shouldnt lift our embargo against Cuba without adequate assurances to protect future U.S. business, Vitter said. Ensuring that these legal claims are accounted for and are being settled is a must for the American families and businesses whose property was seized, and for ensuring any degree of future business with Cuba.
We need a long-term plan to ensure that these families claims are returned once and for all, Vitter added.
The bill ensures the White House must include Foreign Claim Settlement Commission (FCSC) Cuban Claims Program in its continued talks with Cuba. Under the bill, until those claim are finalized by the FCSC, normalization efforts will be put on hold.
The House version was introduced on Thursday by U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Fla.
Insisting that the Castros pay back Americans for property they stole should be non-negotiable in any talks to normalize relations with Cuba, Rooney said. Its bad enough that, if the president gets his way, American trade and travel dollars will be used to prop up the Castro regime and repress the Cuban people. The least we can do is make sure those profits arent earned on property stolen from American citizens and businesses and never settled.
If we dont demand they resolve outstanding legal claims, how can we expect the Castros to respect the rights of Americans traveling or doing business in Cuba in the future? Rooney demanded.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
