WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on the administration’s proposed rescission of Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism:

“President Obama’s notification to Congress for removing Cuba from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, the result of a months-long technical review, is an important step forward in our efforts to forge a more constructive relationship with Cuba,” said Senator Cardin. “The Administration has laid out in detail that the Cuban government no longer provides support for acts of international terrorism and has received assurances from Cuba that it will not support terrorism in the future.  I encourage the Cuban government to go one step further by also ending its practices of violating human rights, detaining political dissidents and harboring American fugitives wanted for violent crimes, especially the murder of U.S. law enforcement officers.

“Following the Cuban government’s release of Marylander Alan Gross late last year, the United States has a unique opportunity to begin a fresh chapter with Cuba. This announcement clears the way for the United States and Cuba to re-establish diplomatic relations and strengthen people-to-people ties between our two countries. The Obama Administration now has the space needed to more vigorously promote our national interests and the values that we as a nation hold dear. A healthy and prosperous Cuba will promote a more open society and that is good for the United States.”

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