```

[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 26 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 26

  Commending Pope Francis for his leadership in helping to secure the 
   release of Alan Gross and for working with the Governments of the 
    United States and Cuba to achieve a more positive relationship.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 13, 2015

    Mr. Durbin (for himself, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Flake, Mr. Cardin, Ms. 
 Mikulski, Mr. Enzi, Ms. Collins, Mr. Brown, Mr. Udall, and Mr. Kaine) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                          on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
  Commending Pope Francis for his leadership in helping to secure the 
   release of Alan Gross and for working with the Governments of the 
    United States and Cuba to achieve a more positive relationship.

Whereas Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina, was elected 
        Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church on March 13, 2013;
Whereas his election marked the first time a Pope from the Americas and a Jesuit 
        has been selected, as well as the first time a pope took the papal name 
        of Francis, after St. Francis of Assisi;
Whereas Pope Francis has been recognized for his humility, dedication to the 
        poor, and commitment to dialogue and reconciliation;
Whereas United States citizen and former United States Agency for International 
        Development subcontractor Alan Phillip Gross traveled to Cuba five times 
        in 2009, working to establish wireless networks and improve Internet and 
        Intranet access and connectivity for the Cuban people;
Whereas Mr. Gross was arrested in Havana, Cuba, on December 3, 2009, charged 
        with ``actions against the independence or the territorial integrity of 
        the state'' in February 2011, and sentenced to 15 years in prison;
Whereas, on November 21, 2013, 66 United States Senators wrote to President 
        Barack Obama urging him ``to act expeditiously to take whatever steps 
        are in the national interest to obtain [Alan Gross's] release,'' and 
        pledging ``to support [the] Administration in pursuit of this worthy 
        goal'';
Whereas during Mr. Gross's five years in prison, his health seriously 
        deteriorated and his mother Evelyn Gross passed away;
Whereas Mr. Gross's family remained tirelessly committed to ensuring his well-
        being and return to the United States;
Whereas, over the course of several years, the United States Government used a 
        variety of channels to encourage the Government of Cuba to release Mr. 
        Gross;
Whereas, in March 2012, during his visit to Cuba, then-Pope Benedict raised Mr. 
        Gross's detention with President Raul Castro;
Whereas, in 2013, the Governments of the United States and Cuba began 18 months 
        of closed door talks on Mr. Gross's detention and on improving the 
        relations between the two countries;
Whereas, in October 2014, Pope Francis played a key role in the negotiations 
        between the United States and Cuba, making personal appeals to both 
        President Obama and President Raul Castro, pushing for reconciliation 
        between the two countries, and hosting a diplomatic meeting at the 
        Vatican between the United States and Cuba;
Whereas, on December 17, 2014, the Government of Cuba released Alan Gross on 
        humanitarian grounds and allowed him to return to the United States;
Whereas, on December 17, 2014, President Obama also announced the 
        reestablishment of diplomatic ties with Cuba;
Whereas, in this announcement, President Obama thanked Pope Francis for his 
        involvement and the example he provides to the international community; 
        and
Whereas, on December 18, 2014, Pope Francis said, ``The work of an ambassador 
        lies in small steps, small things, but they always end up making peace, 
        bringing closer the hearts of people, sowing brotherhood among 
        people.'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) extends its gratitude to Pope Francis for his 
        extraordinary efforts in helping to secure the release of Alan 
        Gross;
            (2) commends His Holiness for his role in encouraging an 
        improved relationship between the United States and Cuba; and
            (3) warmly welcomes the return to the United States of Alan 
        Gross.
                                 <all>
```