Rubio Statement on Vilsack Confirmation Vote

Statement

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio released a statement ahead of the Senate's vote on the confirmation of Thomas Vilsack to be Secretary of Agriculture.

"Supporting a nominee directly involved in the Obama Administration's policy of concessions to Havana's tyrants would be an unconscionable mistake," Rubio said. "Secretary Vilsack's erroneous belief that developing trade and business relationships with Cuba's despotic regime would magically lead to the island's liberalization and democratization is misguided and dangerous to our national security interests. Let me be clear: the Cuban regime has violated the basic human rights of the Cuban people for decades. There is no crop, nor trade agreement, between Cuba's rulers and the U.S. that would stop the regime's egregious abuses from continuing. Our next Secretary of Agriculture should uphold American values rather than appeasing international foes."

Rubio is the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues.

Source