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before we gavel the hearing in, i would just like to remind audience members that disruption of committee proceedings is against the law and will not be tolerated. although wearing themed shirts while seated in the hearing room is certainly permissible, holding up signs during the proceedings, that is not permissible. so any disruptions will result in a suspension of the proceedings until the capital police can restore order. with that, i would i d like to call us to order here for our hearing this morning and ask all the members to take their seats if you could. on september 3rd north korea detonated a nuclear device that according to news reports was stronger than all of the previous tests combined. this hydrogen bomb represents the latest advancement in north korea s long-running nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile programs which now pose an urge gents threat to the united states. moreover, the apparent speed in which these north korean advancements have ....
designed to partially roll back obama administration s strategy of engaging with the people of cuba. a few months from now, cuba will undergo a historic leadership transition while reckoning with a moribund economy and a demographic challenge in a relationship with the united states that is rapidly deteriorating as a result of president trump s policy changes and still unresolved attacks against u.s. diplomats. in fact the diplomatic drawdown , in havana had a direct impact on this event as the suspension of visa services in havana prevented us from bringing a speaker from cuba to participate in today s discussion. nevertheless, to help us make sense of what has happened and assess what the future might bring for cuba and the united states we are privileged to , welcome to the dialogue three distinguished friends and colleagues with decades of experience working on cuba. to my immediate left, emily mendrala is the executive director of the center for democracy in the am ....
let me tell you this is a special day to be with the distinguished members of the president s cabinet, including our very own secretary acosta. [applause] mr. diaz-balart: my colleagues, i know some of my colleagues that are here, starting with senator rubio, congressman curbelo. i know i m going to miss some, but i know someone that s very special to me, congressman lincoln diaz-balart is here, who along with ileana ros-lehtinen and senator menendez were the ones who codified u.s. law against the tyranny in cuba. of course, our governor, governor scott is here. [applause] heroes like jose garcia are here. my friends, today, today i stand here in the presence of so many heroes. former political prisoners, the heroes of the 2506 brigade. and so many of you. [applause] so many others, so many others who have suffered under the hands and by the hands of the castro regime. let me just talk about the brigade. the brigade is a symbol of dignity. made up of men and women, made ....
[applause] mr. diaz-balart: my colleagues, i know some of my colleagues that are here, starting with ongressman curbelo. i know i m going to miss some, but i know someone that s very special to me, congressman lincoln diaz-balart is here, who along with ileana ros-lehtinen and senator menendez were the ones who codified u.s. law against the tyranny in cuba. of course, our governor, governor scott is here. [applause] heroes like jose garcia are here. my friends, today, today i stand here in the presence of so many heroes. former political prisoners, the heroes of the 2506 brigade. and so many of you. [applause] so many others, so many others who have suffered under the hands and by the hands of the castro regime. let me just talk about the brigade. the brigade is a symbol of dignity. made up of men and women, made up of men who personify sacrifice and heroism and who, having experienced betrayal, have nevertheless never waivered in the struggle for freedom. now, many pre ....
[applause] diaz- balart. [applause] thank you very much. let me tell you this is a special day to be with the distinguished members of the president s cabinet, including our very own secretary acosta. [applause] mr. diaz-balart: my colleagues, i know some of my colleagues that are here, starting with senator rubio, congressman curbelo. i know i m going to miss some, but i know someone that s very special to me, congressman lincoln diaz-balart is here, who along with ileana ros-lehtinen and senator menendez were the ones who codified u.s. law against the tyranny in cuba. of course, our governor, governor scott is here. [applause] heroes like jose garcia are here. my friends, today, today i stand here in the presence of so many heroes. former political prisoners, the heroes of the 2506 brigade. and so many of you. [applause] so many others, so many others who have suffered under the hands and by the hands of the castro regime. let me just talk about the brigade. the briga ....