Delegation for 12.3.24: Cuba — diaspora — help wanted — cord cutting — bathroom talk

Image via AP.

Cuba changes coming?

Will President Joe Biden take Cuba off the State Sponsors of Terrorism list before leaving office? It’s a move many observers speculated about for months, but Republican leaders in Florida warn that such an action would face political pushback.

Sen. Rick Scott, a Naples Republican, said the lame-duck President should reject calls to normalize Cuban relations.

“Calls at the eleventh hour of the Biden administration from communist-sympathizers in the Democrat Party for President Biden to remove Cuba from the State Sponsor of Terrorism list are not just ignorant, but dangerous,” Scott said. “The Biden-Harris administration’s years of appeasement toward the illegitimate, communist Cuban regime has fueled terrorism and instability in the Western Hemisphere and put America’s national security at unacceptable risk.”

Some hope to see a change before a more hawkish Donald Trump administration takes office in January. Progressive International’s Ed Augustin argued in a column last month that the Biden administration erred in maintaining many of the anti-Cuba policies that Trump instated in his first term. “Biden has one-upped Trump by going further than the previous administration in attacking Cuba’s tourism industry — the main engine of the island’s economy,” Augustin wrote.

Carlos Fernández de Cossío, Cuba’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, also characterized ongoing embargo conditions as severe. The embargo covers products with more than 10% of U.S. goods. “What products in the world does that not include?” he told a New York group, according to The Militant.

However, the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council notes that economic sanctions loosened significantly under Biden, including allowing equity investment for the first time since 1960. More recently, the administration pulled Cuba off the list of nations “not cooperating fully” with the fight against terrorism, even as the country remains on the State Sponsors list.

Much of South Florida’s Cuban community did not welcome such moves, including Republicans representing the region in Congress. Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, a Hialeah Republican, said he fully expects the Trump administration to step up pressure on the communist nation, while Biden has offered appeasement.

“The regime’s days are numbered. Unilateral concessions under the Biden-Harris Administration will soon end,” Díaz-Balart posted in Spanish on X. “True accountability will come under Donald Trump’s leadership.”

Scott said the stakes are simply too high for any administration to consider changing its status, not just because of Cuba’s economic system but because of its alliances with nations hostile to the U.S. He accused Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel’s government of supporting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s police force that has kept him in power, of allowing China to operate a spy station 90 miles off Florida’s coast, and of harboring terrorists for years.

“Every time President Biden appeases the illegitimate, communist Cuban regime, he helps it destabilize the Western Hemisphere, supports terrorism and does a huge favor for America’s enemies in Russia, Iran and Communist China,” Scott said.

“With President Trump returning to the White House in January, there cannot be any changes to U.S. policy toward Cuba that advance Biden’s failed appeasement. Removing Cuba from the State Sponsor of Terrorism list would only further jeopardize the national security of the United States and I’ll be fighting like hell to make sure it doesn’t happen.”

Diaspora taking charge

Of course, one signal that Trump won’t soften his prior stance on Cuba came with his nomination of Sen. Marco Rubio as his next Secretary of State. While Rubio has largely shied away from media interviews since his nomination, leaders within the diaspora expect him to bring South Florida values to Foggy Bottom.

“It’s bittersweet to see the Senate lose such a distinguished Cuban American voice, but our community continues to punch far above its weight in Congress,” said Giancarlo Sopo, a Republican media strategist who also hails from Miami.

“Sen. Rubio has long been a source of pride for all Floridians. Now, as Secretary of State, the world will see that our values are, at their core, American values, as he champions America’s interests on the global stage.”

At the president’s right hand, Miami-Dade Commissioner Raquel Regalado said Rubio could push through changes that the Senator could only dream of on Capitol Hill.

“For those of us in the Cuban diaspora that were born and raised here, we fought such a great fight to gain political power,” she said. “What we gain with him as Secretary is that he can really change the minds and hearts of American people by talking about the importance of democracy, not just for Cuba but for every nation and its impact on this hemisphere.”

Another Florida hire

Trump tapped another Florida leader for an administration post, choosing Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

“As DEA Administrator, Chad will work with our great Attorney General, Pam Bondi, to secure the Border, stop the flow of Fentanyl and other Illegal Drugs across the Southern Border, and SAVE LIVES,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

Chronister was re-elected without opposition earlier this year and has been one of the state’s most important political figures. He recently ranked No. 1 on Florida Politics’ list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians, a ranking cultivated by political consultants, strategists and other insiders from both sides of the political aisle in the Tampa Bay area.

“It is the honor of a lifetime to be nominated by President Trump to serve as the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and I am deeply humbled by this opportunity to serve our nation,” Chronister posted on X.

Cable connection

As Scandinavian nations accuse Chinese ships of cutting fiber-optic cable in the Baltic Sea, Rep. Kat Cammack filed legislation in Congress strengthening the underground infrastructure controlled by the U.S.

She and Rep. Buddy Carter, a Georgia Republican, filed the Undersea Cable Protection Act to streamline permitting and maintenance of the nation’s submarine cable network. The legislation boasts support from the International Connectivity Coalition, INCOMPAS, Telecommunications Industry Association, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Sweden last week called for China to cooperate in an international investigation into whether a Chinese ship en route toward the Kattegat Strait near Denmark sabotaged underwater internet cables intentionally, according to CNN.

Bathroom battle

A fight over bathroom access has Rep. Anna Paulina Luna rushing to defend one colleague who demands that another be prohibited from using women’s stalls.

Rep. Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, said her office received death threats after she demanded Speaker Mike Johnson prohibit Rep. Sarah McBride, a Delaware Democrat and the first transgender member of Congress, from using the women’s restroom. While Johnson has instituted such a rule, Mace also filed a resolution seeking a vote to divide bathroom access by gender at birth.

After the reported threats, Luna, a St. Petersburg Republican, filed a resolution of her own condemning all political violence.

“The escalating threats of violence and death against Congresswoman Nancy Mace on social media and to her office are awful and completely unacceptable. This has become standard practice among those on the other side toward those they disagree with,” Luna said.

“Elected officials must be able to represent the values and policies their constituents sent them here to uphold — free from intimidation or fear for their livelihood. Congress must stand united in unequivocally condemning all threats of violence against our colleagues.”

Telling his story

Lt. Col. John Knox of Sarasota became the latest Southwest Florida resident to participate in the Veteran History Project. The Army Officer provided video testimony that will be available on YouTube and included in the Library of Congress’ American Folklife Center.

Rep. Greg Steube, a Sarasota Republican coordinating interviews with several constituents, said Knox’s story seemed especially valuable.

“Lt. Col. John Knox embodies the dedication, innovation, and leadership that define the best of our armed forces,” Steube said. “From spearheading critical IED countermeasures in Afghanistan to leading vital task forces that protected countless lives, his contributions have left an indelible mark on our nation’s defense and the safety of our troops. It is an honor to help share his remarkable story and preserve it for generations to come.”

Knox made clear that the work stemmed from a simple sense of duty.

“Do your job. Your job isn’t a 9-to-5,” he said in the video. “Take care of your people, and they’ll take care of you. Respect the people around you. If you’re coming in as an officer, listen to the sergeants.”

To watch the video, please click the image below:

Value over cost

A government efficiency bill sponsored by Rep. Byron Donalds passed in the House. The Bipartisan Value Over Cost Act (HR 9596) passed in the chamber on a voice vote.

“This is a simple, common-sense piece of legislation that modernizes the antiquated federal procurement process,” Donalds said on the House floor.

“Specifically, this bill provides the General Services Administration with additional contracting flexibility by allowing for consideration of best value in addition to the lowest overall cost alternative. Instead of just looking at the initial price tag, the federal government should be fiscally responsible and also consider the contractual value of products and services over time.”

Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Parkland Democrat, was among the bill’s co-sponsors.

Hezbollah cease-fire

News of a cease-fire between Hezbollah and Israel drew praise from two Democrats in South Florida.

Rep. Lois Frankel, a West Palm Beach Democrat, said the deal reached by Israel’s Cabinet would benefit the tumultuous region.

“The cease-fire agreement by Israel and Hezbollah is a welcome relief to the region and the world,” she said. “I am grateful to President Biden for his perseverance in reaching the agreement, which will hopefully bring an end to Hezbollah’s barrage of attacks on Israel, a return home for hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians, and a path toward more lasting peace in the Middle East.”

Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Miramar Democrat, also saw the development as a positive legacy for Biden.

“I am grateful for the leadership of the Biden Administration in reaching this historic milestone. For over a year, Hezbollah, a proxy of Iran, has attacked Israel with thousands of rockets and drones. This agreement will hopefully allow thousands of displaced civilians to return home, end Hezbollah’s attacks against Israel, and finally ensure Hezbollah’s compliance with Security Council Resolution 1701.

“For a more lasting peace in the Middle East, the United States must continue to stand with Israel, certify Hezbollah’s compliance with this deal, and facilitate the return of the 101 hostages held in Gaza.”

Frankel also said the cease-fire should be a reason for continued U.S. support of Israel.

“For this to become a reality, the United States must continue to ensure Israel has the weapons necessary to defend herself and address Iranian-backed threats,” she said.

Foreign aid dollars

With Republicans in control of both chambers of Congress, budgets produced in the House have a clearer path to Senate passage on their way to a Republican President’s desk next year. That gives added importance to the budget produced by the Díaz-Balart-chaired House State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Committee.

Díaz-Balart discussed the values reflected in the budget in a video stream with Idaho Republican Rep. Mike Simpson.

“We need to be able to show the American people that the money that we’re spending abroad is to help the national security interests of the United States,” the Hialeah Republican said.

“The theme that the Republicans believe in when it comes to State and Foreign Operations is if you’re an ally of the United States, if you help our interests, then we need to express that, we need to show that, and we need to try to be helpful. But if you’re an enemy of the United States, an adversary, or you’re in cahoots with our adversaries, we should not only not fund you — which, unfortunately, we are funding institutions that I think are hurting our national security interests — we should do everything we can to confront you.”

The budget, for example, cut funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency amid allegations the group provided material support to Hamas before attacks on Israel.

“That was one of the biggest battles that we had with the Democrats. The Administration and the Democrats in the Senate wanted to keep funding a group that, I think, has become captured entirely by Hamas,” he said.

To watch the stream, please click the image below:

Making Mexico pay

While tariff policies have critics from both sides, Rep. Carlos Giménez strongly supports Trump’s plan to charge 25% duties on all imports from Mexico. He said the nation’s new leader and her coddling of Cuba provided reason enough for the levy.

“Mexico has been aiding the drug cartels and helping our enemies. They must pay the price,” said Giménez, the only Cuba-born member of Congress now serving.

“Mexico’s socialist President, Claudia Sheinbaum, is sending 400,000 barrels of oil to the murderous Communist Castro regime in Cuba. I applaud President Donald Trump’s decision to implement a 25% tariff on all products coming into the United States until the drug and border crisis is resolved.”

The support could be significant in pushing the policy through Congress next year, as Giménez chairs the House Homeland Security Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee.

On this day

Dec. 3, 1989 — “George H.W. Bush, Mikhail Gorbachev suggest Cold War coming to an end” via History.com — Meeting off the coast of Malta, the U.S. President and Soviet leader issued statements strongly suggesting the long-standing animosities at the core of the Cold War might end. Commentators in both the United States and Russia declared the Cold War over. The talks were part of the first-ever summit held between the two leaders. Bush and his advisers were cautiously optimistic and eager to follow up on the steps toward arms control that the Ronald Reagan administration took. Gorbachev was vocal about his desire for better relations with the United States to pursue his domestic reform agenda.

Dec. 3, 2015 — “All combat roles open to women” via The New York Times — In a historic transformation of the American military, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said the Pentagon would open all combat jobs to women. The groundbreaking decision overturned a long-standing rule that had restricted women from combat roles, even though women have often found themselves in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past 14 years. It is the latest in a long march of inclusive steps by the military, including racial integration in 1948 and the lifting of the ban on gay men and lesbians serving openly in the military in 2011.

Happy birthday

Best wishes to Sen. Rick Scott, who turned 72 on Saturday, Dec. 1.

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Peter Schorsch publishes Delegation, compiled by Jacob Ogles, edited and assembled by Phil Ammann and Ryan Nicol, with contributions by A.G. Gancarski and Jesse Scheckner.