Texas Reps Back Bill Countering Biden Decision on Cuba

Joe Biden

Florida Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R) has responded to President Joe Biden (D) by reintroducing a bill that keeps the Cuban regime on the state sponsor of terrorism list.

This week, President Biden stunned many when his administration announced it would be removing Cuba from the State Sponsor of Terrorism List. The decision stems from a deal facilitated by the Catholic Church to free political prisoners in Cuba.

U.S. administration officials argue that there are “many dozens” of political prisoners that would be released by the end of the Biden Administration because of Cuba’s removal from the list.

As expected, Republicans have expressed their outrage at the decision. In contrast, Democrats have responded in a divisive way with some praising the move and others sharing their disagreement with it.

The Fighting Oppression until the Reign of Castro Ends, or FORCE ACT, therefore, prevents any U.S. administration from normalizing relations with the Cuban dictatorship until liberty and democracy are restored to the Cuban people.

In a statement, Rep. Salazar, who serves as the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Chairwoman, shared that “it is clear that with President Biden’s betrayal of the Cuban community on the island and in exile, the need to keep the regime on the State Sponsors of Terrorism List until freedom is restored is more necessary than ever.”

“I am proud to reintroduce the FORCE Act to ensure no other President can unilaterally violate our nation’s established policies in such a grotesque manner,” she added.

Texas Reps. Keith Self (R), Michael McCaul (R), Randy Weber (R), and Dan Crenshaw (R) have cosponsored the bill.

Shortly after the announcement, Rep. Salazar released a social media video alongside Florida Reps. Mario Díaz-Balart (R) and Carlos Giménez (R), condemning the incumbent president’s “PATHETIC move to remove the Castro dictatorship from the List of State Sponsors of Terrorism!”

They condemned the decision, arguing that President-elect Donald Trump (R) will “fix” the issue.

Daniel Molina

Daniel Molina is a managing editor and legislative correspondent with a decade of experience covering the evolving political landscape of the American South and Southwest.