A resolution calling for greater religious and political freedoms in Cuba, and for other purposes.

Bill: 116-sres-215
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Braun, Mike [R-IN]
Introduced: 2019-05-21
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Caribbean area

Cuba

Detention of persons

Elementary and secondary education

Family relationships

Human rights

Latin America

Protest and dissent

Religion

Sanctions

Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status

Trade restrictions
Latest action: action_date: 2019-05-21
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text: CR S3010)

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-05-21
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This resolution&nbsp;expresses solidarity with Cuban citizens, and calls on Cuba and the United States to implement specified measures to promote human rights and democracy in Cuba.</p>

tv_txt: III 116th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 215 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 21, 2019 Mr. Braun (for himself, Mr. Cotton , Mr. Rubio , and Mr. Cruz ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations RESOLUTION Calling for greater religious and political freedoms in Cuba, and for other purposes.

Whereas the Castro regime has used arbitrary incarcerations, harassment, and intimidation to deny basic freedoms to thousands of Cubans since the Cuban Revolution; Whereas, in April 2019, a family was sent to prison by authorities in Cuba for homeschooling their children; Whereas the children were enrolled in a Christian distance school in Honduras; Whereas the families involved, which included a pastor, cited religious reasons for homeschooling their children; Whereas the Government of Cuba has a history of arresting individuals who chose to homeschool their children and sentencing them to prison time and hard labor; Whereas the Government of Cuba’s insistence on state-controlled education is a sign of authoritarianism, enabling them to indoctrinate youth with a communist ideology; Whereas parents have the right to teach their children free from the state indoctrination of an autocratic regime; Whereas the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom formerly condemned Cuba for actions pertaining to the April 2019 imprisonment of those who homeschool their children; Whereas the United States has instituted an embargo on Cuba in 1960; Whereas the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (Libertad) Act of 1996 ( 22 U.S.C. 6021 et seq.) does not permit these sanctions to be lifted until the Castro regime has been deposed and Cuba has legalized political activity and made a commitment to free and fair elections; and Whereas, despite the 2014 Executive branch decision to normalize relations with Cuba, it is still in the power of Congress to lift an embargo: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1) expresses solidarity with the people of Cuba in their pursuit of religious freedom; (2) calls on the Government of Cuba to release all political prisoners, including those who have been imprisoned for homeschooling their children; (3) calls on the OAS Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to grant the Precautionary Measures requested on April 25, 2019; (4) calls on the Government of Cuba to recognize the right of parents to teach their own children free from state communist indoctrination; (5) calls on the Government of Cuba to institute democratic reforms, including reforms that guarantee freedom of religion; and (6) calls for the continued implementation of the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act of 1996.