“Responding to the severest crack-down by the Castro government on human rights activists in recent memory, on Tuesday, April 8, 2003, the U.S. House of Representatives passed by an extraordinary 414-0, a resolution ‘regarding the systematic human rights violations in Cuba committed by the Castro regime; calling for the immediate release of all political prisoners and supporting free elections for Cuba.’ The measure (H. Res. 108-179) was introduced by Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL21), one of the most strident defenders of the U.S. embargo. In a telling signal of Congressional outrage over the dissident crack-down, all but one Representative of the 50 member House Cuba Working Group, a coalition formed with the intention of easing the embargo, supported the Diaz-Balart resolution.”
“Embargo Update: Congress Reacts to Castro’s Crackdown: The charm offensive is over, but what course to expect in U.S. policy?” Cuba Policy Foundation, April 9, 2003