Sep 11, 2007, 12:08 PM
47 million is lots of money. Where the heck is it going?
CONGRESS
Senate restores aid to Cuban opposition
Posted on Fri, Sep. 07, 2007Digg del.icio.us AIM reprint print email
BY PABLO BACHELET
pbachelet@MiamiHerald.com
WASHINGTON -- The Senate agreed Thursday to restore President Bush's requested $47 million funding for Cuban opposition groups in a foreign operations spending bill.
Until now, the Senate had not made any pronouncements on Cuba policy. With the House and Senate in agreement on the levels of dissident aid for Cuba, the increase in funding is almost certain to become law.
Earlier this year, senators in charge of appropriations cut the aid to $15 million, only a modest improvement from the $10 million a year Cuba democracy programs got in the past.
The Senate approved an amendment to increase the funding by unanimous consent.
It was presented by Florida Republican Sen. Mel Martinez and co-sponsored by Republican Sen. John Ensign of Nevada and Democratic Sens. Bob Menendez of New Jersey and Bill Nelson of Florida.
The increase is the latest setback for opponents of U.S. policy toward Cuba, who argue that the aid is ineffective in bringing democracy to the island and that more engagement with the Castro government stands a better chance of producing democratic changes.
The House defeated a similar measure before the summer recess in a sign that Democrats in control of Congress were not eager to change U.S. policy toward Cuba as Cuban-American lawmakers and their allies stepped up their lobbying efforts.
Menendez, speaking on the Senate floor, said Cuba's democracy activists deserved more support as their work was ''powerful and meaningful.'' He cited a rise of ''civil resistance'' actions in Cuba as evidence that groups there were more active.
CONGRESS
Senate restores aid to Cuban opposition
Posted on Fri, Sep. 07, 2007Digg del.icio.us AIM reprint print email
BY PABLO BACHELET
pbachelet@MiamiHerald.com
WASHINGTON -- The Senate agreed Thursday to restore President Bush's requested $47 million funding for Cuban opposition groups in a foreign operations spending bill.
Until now, the Senate had not made any pronouncements on Cuba policy. With the House and Senate in agreement on the levels of dissident aid for Cuba, the increase in funding is almost certain to become law.
Earlier this year, senators in charge of appropriations cut the aid to $15 million, only a modest improvement from the $10 million a year Cuba democracy programs got in the past.
The Senate approved an amendment to increase the funding by unanimous consent.
It was presented by Florida Republican Sen. Mel Martinez and co-sponsored by Republican Sen. John Ensign of Nevada and Democratic Sens. Bob Menendez of New Jersey and Bill Nelson of Florida.
The increase is the latest setback for opponents of U.S. policy toward Cuba, who argue that the aid is ineffective in bringing democracy to the island and that more engagement with the Castro government stands a better chance of producing democratic changes.
The House defeated a similar measure before the summer recess in a sign that Democrats in control of Congress were not eager to change U.S. policy toward Cuba as Cuban-American lawmakers and their allies stepped up their lobbying efforts.
Menendez, speaking on the Senate floor, said Cuba's democracy activists deserved more support as their work was ''powerful and meaningful.'' He cited a rise of ''civil resistance'' actions in Cuba as evidence that groups there were more active.