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

III 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 215 Calling for greater religious and political freedoms in Cuba, and for other purposes. 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 au- thorities 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; VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:28 May 21, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR215.IS SR215 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •SRES 215 IS 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-con- trolled 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 Reli- gious Freedom formerly condemned Cuba for actions per- taining 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 re- gime has been deposed and Cuba has legalized political activity and made a commitment to free and fair elec- tions; and Whereas, despite the 2014 Executive branch decision to nor- malize relations with Cuba, it is still in the power of Con- gress to lift an embargo: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— 1 (1) expresses solidarity with the people of Cuba 2 in their pursuit of religious freedom; 3 (2) calls on the Government of Cuba to release 4 all political prisoners, including those who have been 5 imprisoned for homeschooling their children; 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:28 May 21, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR215.IS SR215 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •SRES 215 IS (3) calls on the OAS Inter-American Commis- 1 sion on Human Rights to grant the Precautionary 2 Measures requested on April 25, 2019; 3 (4) calls on the Government of Cuba to recog- 4 nize the right of parents to teach their own children 5 free from state communist indoctrination; 6 (5) calls on the Government of Cuba to insti- 7 tute democratic reforms, including reforms that 8 guarantee freedom of religion; and 9 (6) calls for the continued implementation of 10 the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act of 11 1996. 12 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:28 May 21, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR215.IS SR215 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS