Two prominent Cuban-American senators are pushing to stop commercial flights between the U.S. and Cuba until U.S. authorities are assured proper security measures are in place.
Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Robert Menendez, D-N.J., introduced the Cuban Airport Security Act Wednesday, which would pause all flights between the two countries until the U.S. government has completed a “proper” security assessment of Cuba’s airline screening system.
The two senators have opposed President Obama’s decision to renew relations with the Castro regime and lift restrictions on business and travel. They also take issue with the Cuban government’s refusal to allow airlines to hire their own workers to operate in the country. All airport staff also are Cuban government employees.
“With so many serious threats around the world, it is irresponsible to leave key aspects of our airport security in the hands of the anti-American, repressive regime in Cuba,” Rubio said in a statement. “President Obama’s legacy should not come before the safety of the American people.”
Rubio and Menendez say it’s “extremely concerning” that the Obama administration has lifted the restriction on flights to Cuba with flights beginning last week without addressing the security concerns about airport personnel, as well as the country’s lack of technology and security capabilities.
“This increases the likelihood that someone on the inside seeking to harm the United States could gain access to sensitive flight data and controls,” they argued. “… Now that President Obama is proceeding unilaterally, we cannot allow our security to be compromised.”
With more flights planned to start operating this fall, Rubio said it is critical that the U.S. government pause them until “we can close these sprawling loopholes, conduct a full audit to make sure personnel is being properly vetted, and verify these flights to and from airports in Cuba include robust security measures needed to keep Americans safe.”
The Transportation Department didn’t respond to a request for comment on the bill.
Menendez pointed out that Cuba remains a totalitarian dictatorship that continues to harbor American hijackers and terrorists, and treats them as “heroes” and “remains a strategic ally of some of the world’s most dangerous terrorist organizations.”
“I have serious concerns entrusting the Castro regime to protect the lives of Americans flying in and out of Cuba,” Menendez said in a statement.
“This bipartisan legislation would implement the common-sense mechanisms necessary to ensure Cuba is held to the same international airport security standards as other countries, all while preventing a strengthening of the security apparatus that ensures Castro’s tight grip on power at the expense of Americans’ security.”
Rep. John Katko, R-N.Y., introduced a similar bill in the House in July, after canceling a trip to Cuba to inspect the country’s aviation security infrastructure because the Cuban government refused to approve their visas.
Katko, who chairs the Homeland Security Committee’s transportation security panel, welcomed the support of Rubio and Menendez in highlighting the issue of the safety and security of Americans traveling to Cuba.
“The Obama administration’s rush to open regularly scheduled commercial air service between the United States and Cuba without taking proper precautions is negligent and I am optimistic that the House and Senate will move quickly on legislation to help address safety and security deficiencies,” he said.
