Chairman Menendez on Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipient Dr. Oscar Biscet

United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations

WASHINGTON, DC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

November 20, 2013

Contact:

adam_sharon@foreign.senate.gov

Chairman Menendez on Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipient Dr. Oscar Biscet

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued this statement regarding Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Dr. Oscar Biscet.

“Today, as President Obama commemorates the 50^th anniversary of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, he will be joined by an inspiring group of past recipients all deserving of this prestigious award for their contribution to U.S. national interests or world peace. However, there is a glaring and unacceptable absence of a past recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom who puts his well-being at risk every day in Cuba demanding the same rights and freedoms enjoyed by Americans. Dr. Oscar Biscet, a world-renowned human rights advocate in Cuba is not in Washington with other recipients due to the Cuban government’s decision to deny him a visa to travel to the U.S., barring Americans and the rest of the world an opportunity to hear directly of the Castro regime’s denial of basic human rights and its brutal oppression of those who are fighting for democracy in Cuba. I look forward to the day that Dr. Biscet can travel freely to the United States to finally receive our nation’s highest civilian honor.”