House Foreign Affairs Ranking Member Meeks, Jayapal, Jackson, Castro Demand Answers on State Department Obstruction of Oversight in Cuba

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Representatives Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), and Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, are demanding answers from the State Department after Jayapal and Jackson were denied the ability to meet with Chargé d'Affaires Mike Hammer at the U.S. Embassy in Havana during a Congressional delegation.

"Congressional delegations rely on the support and engagement of U.S. embassy personnel to better understand local conditions, assess policy impacts, and ensure that our diplomatic efforts align with broader national interests," wrote the Members. "We write to express deep concern that the State Department has ostensibly prohibited officials at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba from engaging with members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee traveling to Cuba on official business to conduct oversight regarding the impacts of U.S. policy on the Cuban people. Such a directive represents a troubling departure from long-standing norms of cooperation between the legislative and executive branches in the conduct of American foreign policy."

"Given the ongoing negotiations between the Trump Administration and the Cuban government and threats from President Trump to 'take' Cuba, denying members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee access to embassy officials sends a troubling message that the Administration is attempting to block voices that disagree with it," continued the Members.

The full text of the letter can be read here.

The letter was also signed by House Foreign Affairs Committee Members, Representatives Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) and Ted W. Lieu (CA-36).