WASHINGTON, November 17, 2003 -- Congressman Charles Rangel denounced the Republican leadership in Congress for blocking an amendment to lift the ban on travel to Cuba despite broad support in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

"The Republican leadership subverted the will of Congress by arbitrarily killing an amendment that would have lifted the travel ban and allowed Americans to travel to Cuba freely," Congressman Rangel said.  "This amendment had been passed by both Houses of Congress but, in violation of usual  practice, was stripped from the bill under the threat of a veto by President Bush."

The amendment, which had broad support in Congress and popular support around the country, was included in a funding bill for the Treasury Department, which administers the embargo against Cuba and other countries.  The measure was stripped from the funding legislation, which is highly unusual when language is passed by both houses.

"This was a crass political move by a party that will do anything to curry favor with Cuban American voters and contributors in Florida, which they consider a must-win state in next year's presidential election," said Congressman Rangel, a long-time leader of forces seeking an end to the embargo.

While the action was a bitter disappointment to members seeking a change in U.S. policy toward Cuba, Congressman Rangel said he was heartened by the passage of a free-standing bill to lift the travel ban days earlier by another Senate committee, an preliminary step in the legislative process.

"The decision to dismantle the embargo on Cuba has clearly been made by the majority of members of Congress," Congressman Rangel said.  "All that is left of the opposition is a few Republican hard-liners who  think they can hold back the tide of history with this kind of undemocratic maneuver. 

"The solution is clear: they must be voted out of office," Congressman Rangel said.