WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Carlos A. Gimenez (R-FL28) introduced the International Port Security Enforcement Act, a bill which would ensure State Sponsors of Terrorism and Terrorist Organizations are prohibited from engaging with the Secretary of Homeland Security through the International Port Security Program. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced the bill in the Senate.
Three weeks ago, Castro Regime agents were scheduled to meet with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to tour multiple facilities, including USCG HQ in Washington, but was canceled after Congressman Carlos Gimenez (FL-28) along with Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-27) and others sent a letter to the Administration.
As officials of a country designated as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, the presence of Castro Regime officials poses a direct threat to U.S. National Security.
“We are deeply concerned about the U.S. national security implications of allowing government officials with a known adversarial foreign intelligence service to access sensitive U.S. Federal Government facilities. Not only is Cuba still a U.S. designated State Sponsor of Terrorism along with North Korea, Iran, and Syria, but Cuba remains a chief counterintelligence threat. The U.S. Director of National Intelligence consistently identifies Cuba as a core and continuing counterintelligence mission, similar to Iran and North Korea.
Additionally, Cuba and Russia have continued to deepen bilateral relations, including in security cooperation, amplifying the threat to U.S. national security,” Congressman Carlos Gimenez said.
“We strongly urge you to table the consideration of such a visit that ignores the Cuban regime’s brutality, its repression of its citizens, and its designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, while also exposing our Nation’s port infrastructure to potential vulnerabilities and jeopardizing our national security.”
Originally published at https://gimenez.house.gov/press-releases?ID=D701321B-E732-4BF6-A9C3-C054482F5BE4
