Directs the Secretary of State, if the government of Cuba is allowed full membership or participation in the Organization of American States (OAS), to withhold assessed and voluntary contributions to the OAS until the President certifies to Congress that there is a government in Cuba that has satisfied certain political, judicial, broadcasting, and labor requirements, and does not include Fidel Castro or Raul Castro.
[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2687 Introduced in House (IH)]
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2687
To withhold United States assessed and voluntary contributions to the
Organization of American States (OAS) if Cuba is allowed full
membership or participation in the OAS unless the President certifies
that Cuba has satisfied certain conditions, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 3, 2009
Mr. Mack (for himself, Mr. Sires, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Broun of
Georgia, Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mr. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, and
Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart of Florida) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To withhold United States assessed and voluntary contributions to the
Organization of American States (OAS) if Cuba is allowed full
membership or participation in the OAS unless the President certifies
that Cuba has satisfied certain conditions, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Cuba is currently excluded from participation in the
Inter-American system, as adopted by Resolution VI during the
Eighth Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs,
held in Punta del Este, Uruguay, in 1962.
(2) According to section 105 of the Cuban Liberty and
Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-
114), ``[t]he President should instruct the United States
Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States
to use the voice and vote of the United States to oppose ending
the suspension of the Government of Cuba from the Organization
until the President determines under section 203(c)(3) that a
democratically elected government in Cuba is in power.''.
(3) The Inter-American Democratic Charter states that ``the
peoples of the Americas have a right to democracy and their
governments have an obligation to promote and defend it.''.
(4) According to the most recent Department of State
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, citizens in Cuba do
not have the right to change their government, and the regime
retaliated against those individuals who sought peaceful
political change.
(5) The Report continues that hundreds of political
prisoners are currently being held, including ``peaceful
activists, journalists, union organizers, and opposition
figures . . .'' and that ``mistreatment of political prisoners
and detainees was widespread[, and] [b]eatings were not
uncommon.''.
(6) The Report further indicates that elections in Cuba are
``neither free nor fair.''.
SEC. 2. CERTIFICATION REGARDING CUBA'S PARTICIPATION IN THE OAS.
(a) In General.--If the Government of Cuba is allowed full
membership or participation in the Organization of American States
(OAS), for each fiscal year beginning after the date of the enactment
of this Act until the President transmits to Congress a certification
that the requirements described in subsection (b) have been satisfied,
the Secretary of State shall, with respect to each such fiscal year,
withhold assessed and voluntary contributions to the Organization of
American States.
(b) Certification.--The certification referred to in subsection (a)
is a certification made by the President to Congress that there is a
government in Cuba that--
(1) has legalized all political activity and political
parties;
(2) has released all political prisoners;
(3) has dissolved the present Department of State Security
in the Cuban Ministry of the Interior;
(4) has made public commitments to organizing free and fair
elections for a new government;
(5) has complied with the Inter-American Democratic
Charter;
(6) has ceased any interference with Radio Marti or
Television Marti broadcasts;
(7) has made public commitments to and is making
demonstrable progress in--
(A) establishing an independent judiciary;
(B) respecting internationally recognized human
rights and basic freedoms as set forth in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights; and
(C) allowing the establishment of independent trade
unions, and allowing the establishment of independent
social, economic, and political associations;
(8) does not include Fidel Castro or Raul Castro;
(9) has given adequate assurances that it will allow the
speedy and efficient distribution of assistance to the Cuban
people; and
(10) has complied with other applicable provisions of
section 205 of the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity
(LIBERTAD) Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-114).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
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