DORGAN WILL CHAIR TREASURY APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING ON CUBA TRAVEL
At 10:00 AM Monday, February 11
Thursday, February 7, 2002
CONTACT: Justin Kitsch
or Brenden Timpe
PHONE: 202-224-2551
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) — U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) will chair a U.S. Senate hearing at 10:00 AM on Monday, February 11 to look into reports the Bush Administration is using scarce resources needed to combat terrorism to sharply increase efforts to block travel by U.S. citizens to Cuba, even within the boundaries set by the current travel ban.
"We want to explore their priorities," Dorgan said. "We have increased terrorist threats and an urgent need to track and stop the financing of international terrorism in the United States, yet it appears the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is ramping up an effort to go after senior citizens who ride bicycles through Cuba."
Details about the hearing follow:
• WHO: U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan, Chairman, and members of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Treasury and General Government.
Witnesses will include:
Marilyn Meister, 75 year old retired school teacher who was fined by OFAC after participating in a bicycle tour of Cuba organized by Canadians.
Cevin Allen, fined after taking his father's ashes to Cuba for burial
John Harriman, fined after attending a board-game competition in Cuba
Dr. John Gilderbloom, Cuba Research & Education Programs
Nancy Chang, Center for Constitutional Rights
Richard Newcomb, Director Office of Foreign Assets Control, Treasury Dept.
James Carragher, Coordinator for Cuban Affairs, State Department Former U.S. Senator Dennis De Concini
Former Ambassador Dennis Hayes, Vice President, Cuban American National Foundation
• WHAT: Hearing by the Senate Subcommittee on Treasury and General Government
• WHEN: 10:00 AM, Monday, February 11, 2002
• WHERE: Room SD-192, Dirksen Senate Office Building, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC
• WHY: To examine U.S. restrictions on travel to Cuba.
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