Senate Amendment on State-Sponsor Flights

February 16, 2011


BY: CAPITOL HILL CUBANS


Senator Rubio Introduces Amendment Targeting State Sponsors of Terrorism

Amendment to FAA bill would prevent expansion of commerce with state sponsors of terrorism

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio announced today that he has introduced an amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) re-authorization bill that would prevent the expansion of commerce through direct flights with state sponsors of terrorism. The amendment is co-sponsored by Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and marks Sen. Rubio's first filed amendment.

"Increasing direct commercial or charter aircraft flights with state sponsors of terrorism is totally irresponsible and would amount to unilateral gifts to tyrants and regimes that actively undermine America's security," said Rubio. "There is no reason for the United States to help enrich state sponsors of terrorism, especially at a time when free trade agreements with our close allies in Colombia, Panama and South Korea are lingering.

"Instead of doing business with regimes that undermine America's security and routinely violate the basic norms of human dignity, we should be bolstering our democratic allies through deeper economic ties. I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this effort to ensure that U.S. policy does not expose our nation to new security risks and increased security costs, while alienating our most trusted allies."

This week, the Senate is resuming consideration of S. 223, the FAA bill. Currently, the U.S. State Department has designated four countries as state sponsors of terrorism: Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria.