Tag: U.S. Senator Susan Collins

Bipartisan Group of U.S. Senators Call for Reassessment of So-Called Havana Syndrome 

On April 12 a bipartisan group of eight U.S. Senators sent a letter to President Biden calling for a “renewed assessment . . . to identify the cause behind directed energy attacks” . . . and “review of the March 2023 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) of AHHs.”[1]

This letter said, “Most recently, some . . . [former intelligence officials, service members and diplomats] have told Congress that the Intelligence Community has not followed all credible leads about AHIs or that the Intelligence Community is in possession of information that undermines or contradicts the assessment provided by the National Intelligence Council in March 2023 that ‘available intelligence consistently points against the involvement of US adversaries in causing the reported incidents.’”

“First, we request an interagency briefing with officials from all relevant government agencies to discuss the allegations that have been raised in recent media coverage, outline continued efforts to investigate the cause behind anomalous health incidents, communicate hoe the interagency is undertaking efforts to protect the health and safety of U.S. government employees serving domestically and abroad and provide an update on full implementation of the HAVANA Act.”

“Second, . . there are still a number of individuals who have not received compensation due to unacceptable delays at the Department of Justice and the Department of Defense. The Department of Justice has yet to finalize implementing guidance that also impacts affected individuals in the Federal Bureau of Investigation. We urge you to call on the Department of Justice to finalize the draft rule without delay. . . . Additionally the Department of Defense has yet to issue the federal regulations required under statute.”

Third, as members of the relevant Congressional Committees with the responsibility to respond to this issue, we hope to partner with your Administration to advance any new legislation that may be required to both get to the root cause behind AHHs and ensure that victim get access to the treatment they deserve.

This letter was signed by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (NH, Dem), Susan Collins (ME, Rep), Kristen Gillibrand (NY, Dem), Marco Rubio (FL, Rep), Mark R, Warner (VA, Dem), Roger F. Wicker (Miss, Rep), James E. Risch (ID, Rep),and Benjamin L. Cardin (MD, Dem).

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[1] Chasan, Ohara, Senators call for renewed Havana Syndrome assessment after 60 Minutes report, CBS News (April 17, 2024); Letter to President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. from the above Senators (April 12, 2024). This blog has published numerous posts regarding this Syndrome.

U.S. Senate Committee Demands Cuba To Release José Daniel Ferrer

As previously reported in this blog, last year on October 1 Cuban activist José Daniel Ferrer was arbitrarily arrested and detained without charges and subjected to cruel treatment in jail despite protests from the U.S. the European Union and human rights groups. This year, on February 22, he finally was tried for the alleged crimes of injury and deprivation of liberty to third parties and attack, and on April 3 the court pronounced him guilty of assault and kidnapping and sentenced him to four and a half years in prison, but simultaneously released him to house arrest on condition he refrain from any political activities.[1]

On May 21, 2020, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee adopted a resolution calling for Cuba to immediately and unconditionally release Ferrer.[2]

The resolution was offered by Senators Bob Menendez (Dem., NJ), Dick ‘Durbin (Dem., IL), Ben Cardin (Dem., MD), Tim Kaine (Dem., VA), Marco Rubio (Rep. FL), Ted Cruz (Rep., TX) and Susan Collins (Rep., ME). Here are some of their comments about the resolution:

  • Senator Menendez said he was proud of the resolution, which also “condemns the continued oppressive tactics of the Cuban regime. “
  • Senator Rubio added, “”For a long time, the members of UNPACU have been the target of aggressions by the Cuban regime,” while stressing that Ferrer was arbitrarily detained for “eight months with unsubstantiated allegations and currently remains under house arrest by the dictatorship of Castro and Díaz-Canel.”
  • Senator Durbin: “While the world is facing a global pandemic, the Cuban government continues to harass and imprison its own people, whose only crime is to want a more open nation.”
  • Senator Collins: “José Daniel Ferrer is a committed and open defender of democracy who has repeatedly risked his freedom and his life to promote the freedom of his fellow citizens. Our bipartisan resolution expresses the solidarity of the Senate with Mr. Ferrer’s valiant fight for democratic principles, condemns the unjust actions of the Cuban authorities and calls for his immediate and unconditional release. “

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[1] See these posts to dwkcommentaries.com: U.S. Imposes New Sanctions on Cuba and Denounces Cuba’s Detention of Dissident (Oct. 19, 2019); Secretary Pompeo Demands Release of Cuban Dissident (Feb. 27, 2020); José Daniel Ferrer Tried for Common Crime in Cuba (Feb. 28, 2020); Ferrer Sentenced to Prison and Then Released to House Arrest (April 4, 2020).

[2]  Senate Foreign Relations Comm., S. Res. 454 (Dec. 12, 2019); Senate Foreign Relations Comm., Menendez, Colleagues Applaud Approval of  Senate Bipartisan Resolution Calling for the Release of Cuban Activist Jose Daniel Ferrer (May 21, 2020); Senator Cruz, Press Release: Sens. Cruz, Menendez, Colleagues Applaud Approval of Senate Bipartisan Resolution Calling for the Release of Cuban Activist Jose Daniel Ferrer (May 22, 2020); The US Senate demands the definitive and unconditional release of José Daniel Ferrer, Diario de Cuba (May 22, 2020).

 

 

 

 

New Bill To Expand U.S. Agricultural Exports to Cuba

On May 14  U.S. Senators John Boozman (Rep., AK) and Michael Bennet (Dem., CO) introduced a bill to expand U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba by removing barriers to private financing of same. [1]

Senators Bennet and Boozman issued coordinated press releases about the bill. They said the bill would “remove a major hurdle for American farmers and ranchers to selling American agricultural products in the Cuban market. The bipartisan bill would support jobs in Colorado, Arkansas, and across the country by lifting restrictions on private financing for U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba.”

The press releases also stated, “the biggest barrier for producers as they seek access to Cuba is the Trade Sanctions and Reform Act (TSRA) prohibition on providing private credit for those exports, which forces Cubans to pay with cash up front for American-grown food. As a result, American farm goods have become less competitive, and Cuba has turned to other countries who are able to directly extend credit to Cuban buyers for transactions. This bill would amend the TSRA to allow for private financing of agricultural exports and level the playing field for American farmers competing in the global market.”

The press releases included supportive statements from Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, the Colorado Association of Wheat Growers, the Colorado Farm Bureau, Colorado Potato, Arkansas Farm Bureau, Agricultural Council of Arkansas and Arkansas Rice Federation.

The original co-sponsors of the bill are the following senators: Jerry Moran (Rep., KS),  Susan Collins (Rep., ME), Mike Enzi (Rep., WY), Kevin Cramer (Rep., ND), John Hoeven (Rep., ND), Tom Udall (Dem., NM), Mark Warner (Dem., VA), Debbie Stabenow (Dem. MI), Patrick Leahy (Dem., VT); Amy Klobuchar (Dem., MN) and Angus King (Ind., ME).

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[1] Library of Congress, S.1447: A bill to allow the financing by United States persons of sales of agricultural commodities to Cuba (May 14, 2019); Sen. Boozman, Press Release, Boozman, Bennet Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Agricultural Exports to Cuba (May 14, 2019); Sen. Bennet, Press Release, Bennet, Boozman Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Agricultural Exports to Cuba (May 14, 2019); USA: Presented bipartisan project to expand agricultural sales to Cuba, Cubadebate (May 15, 2019).