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91_HJ0066eng HJ0066 Engrossed LRB9113818KBkb 1 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 66 2 WHEREAS, The United States embargo against Cuba, imposed 3 in 1961, has not achieved its goals, but instead has 4 increasingly created economic and physical hardships to the 5 people of the Republic of Cuba, depriving them of basic foods 6 and medicines and exposing its people, mainly its children, 7 to the effects of malnutrition and other severe health 8 concerns; and 9 WHEREAS, The Illinois-Cuba Humanitarian Mission in 1999, 10 headed by Governor and Mrs. George Ryan, along with 42 11 delegates, saw firsthand the basic needs of the Cuban people, 12 and the importance of people-to-people exchange, and has 13 since then encouraged organizations and institutions in 14 Illinois to engage in educational and agricultural research 15 collaborations that will produce mutually beneficial results 16 for the people of Illinois and Cuba; and 17 WHEREAS, Recent Cuban related issues have brought to 18 question the inconsistencies of the United States' foreign 19 policies concerning migration, sanctions, and the ban on 20 travel; these issues have brought to light the need to 21 establish relations and permit American citizens to freely 22 travel to Cuba; and for those American citizens with family 23 and friends in Cuba to freely provide assistance without 24 breaking the laws of the United States; and 25 WHEREAS, The majority of Americans are interested in 26 pursuing a peaceful and respectful end to the conflicts that 27 have existed between Cuba and the United States, and this 28 measure could be the first steps towards reconciliation and 29 the normalization of relations between the United States and 30 Cuba; and 31 WHEREAS, The State of Illinois, a national leader in 32 education, agriculture, commerce, and technology, will HJ0066 Engrossed -2- LRB9113818KBkb 1 benefit from the potential educational and agricultural 2 collaborations and exchanges, and biotechnology, medical, and 3 cultural exchanges that could be established with Cuba, its 4 people and institutions; and 5 WHEREAS, The Congress of the United States is currently 6 considering over seventeen bills that seek to eliminate 7 sanctions against Cuba for the purpose of permitting 8 individuals and entities based with the United States to 9 freely travel, develop trade, and provide humanitarian aid in 10 the form of food and medicines; therefore, be it 11 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 12 NINETY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE 13 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the passage and 14 enactment of any and all congressional legislation that would 15 lift the United States' sanctions against travel and the 16 delivery of food and medicine to the Cuban people, reminding 17 both the Congress and the President of the United States that 18 such an adjustment in our foreign policy reflects an American 19 humanitarianism that transcends political ideology; and be it 20 further 21 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be presented to 22 the President of the United States, the Speaker of the United 23 States House of Representatives, the President pro tempore of 24 the United States Senate, and each member of the Illinois 25 congressional delegation.