[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 440 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 440

   Commending Lithuania for refusing to ratify the European Union's 
        Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement with Cuba.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 25, 2021

 Ms. Malliotakis (for herself, Mr. Gimenez, and Ms. Salazar) submitted 
   the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                            Foreign Affairs

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                               RESOLUTION


 
   Commending Lithuania for refusing to ratify the European Union's 
        Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement with Cuba.

Whereas Lithuania and the United States have a three-decade-long special 
        relationship built on shared values, prevailing trust, and a fundamental 
        respect for democracy;
Whereas the United States-European Union relationship is, as stated by the 
        European Commission, built on ``values of human dignity, individual 
        rights and democratic principles . . .'';
Whereas the European Union signed the Political Dialogue and Cooperation 
        Agreement (PDCA) with the Government of Cuba in 2016, ``to consolidate 
        and strengthen links between the parties in the areas of political 
        dialogue, cooperation and trade, on the basis of mutual respect, 
        reciprocity, common interest and respect for their sovereignty'';
Whereas the Communist Government of Cuba has mobilized a regime of censorship, 
        detention, torture, and murder of political opponents, repression of 
        prodemocracy efforts, and unparalleled restrictions on movement and 
        emigration;
Whereas the latest wave of repression has targeted the free speech, artistic San 
        Isidro Movement, whose leader, Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara, is currently 
        isolated and under police control in a hospital in Havana;
Whereas cooperative agreements between Western states and the Government of Cuba 
        legitimize corruption, political repression, and a segregating and 
        suppressive economic system while undermining prodemocracy efforts on 
        the ground in Cuba, Venezuela, and elsewhere; and
Whereas Lithuania is the only European Union member state which has refused to 
        ratify the PDCA on account of its demerits: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) strongly commends Lithuania for standing with Cuba's 
        human rights activists by refusing to ratify the Political 
        Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA);
            (2) calls on other European Union members to follow in the 
        footsteps of Lithuania and annul their ratification of the PDCA 
        in the course of its ongoing provisional implementation;
            (3) takes pride in the special relationship shared by the 
        United States and Lithuania; and
            (4) looks forward to strengthening the United States-
        Lithuania relationship on a diplomatic, military, economic, and 
        humanitarian basis.
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