Senator Flake, a Republican, is the junior senator from Arizona. Elected to the Senate in 2012, he took his seat in that body in January 2013. He may be relatively new to the Senate, but he is hardly new to government or to the difficult issue of U.S.-Cuba relations. A Representative from Arizona from 2001 to 2013, he has been deeply involved in the effort to improve U.S.-Cuba relations for nearly 15 years and knows the issue from a House as well as from a Senate perspective. 

Cuba was the topic at last Thursday's, September 10, GBD colloquium at the National Press Club, and Senator Flake was the keynote speaker. Today's quote was taken from his remarks on that occasion. It came near the end, as he was talking about S. 299, the "Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act of 2015," which Senator Flake introduced last January and which now has 46 cosponsors. 

 
In a sense, the rational for the legislation dates back to the origin of Senator Flake's involvement with Cuba. "People often asked," he said, "what's a guy from Arizona doing on the Cuba issue?" His answer: 

His "Freedom to Travel Act" is clearly part of the answer, but only part. After noting that the bill has 46 cosponsors, Senate Flake said: 

 
"But what I think ... will happen, what's more likely to happen, is that as these changes are made to both our regulations and the Cuban government moves ahead with a civil aviation agreement, the facts on the ground in Cuba will overwhelm the policy here."

The Senator used similar language during the Q&A, when he was asked about the Helms-Burton act of 1996. More formally, The Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996, it is the legislation that, in effect, codified the embargo against Cuba. Senator Flake was asked if there are any discussions now on Capitol Hill aimed at its repeal. He said: 

Members of Congress - both Senators and Representatives - tend to focus on legislation and they have an understandable fondness for the bills they themselves introduce. One of the things that struck us as refreshing about Senator Flake's remarks was that his focus seemed less on his legislation and more on the underlying goals, on certain principles and on the changes he is trying to encourage, both in the U.S. and in Cuba.

Earlier today we posted on the GBD website, www.gbdinc.org, an audio recording of Senator Flake's remarks to the Global Business Dialogue. There is a richness to his presentation that we cannot capture here. You will want to hear it for yourself. Among the highlights you will find are these: 

Bipartisan Effort. Senator Flake's frustration with his own party over the issue of Cuba, and his efforts to change minds on the issue, on both sides of the aisle, beginning with the Cuba Working Group that he started several years ago in the House with then Rep. Bill Delahunt (D-MA). 

Benefits of the Obama Administrations policy changes, such as allowing "Cuban-Americans to travel [to Cuba] as they wanted to" and to remit "as much money as they could to their family members and friends in Cuba."

The Incarceration of Alan Gross. Mr. Gross, a contractor working for U.S. AID, was arrested in by the Cuban government in December 2009. He was released in an exchange, finally, on December 17, 2014. Senator Flake, who had visited Mr. Gross in prison, was in the party that brought him home. During the five years of Mr. Gross's incarceration, progress in the U.S.-Cuba relationship was just about impossible. His release, on the other hand, was a catalyst for it and coincided with President Obama's announcement of a new policy toward Cuba and 

The Re-Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the United States and Cuba. Senator Flake was in Havana on July 20 when the stars and stripes were once again raised at the U.S. Embassy there - and by the same Marines who had lowered the flag 54 years ago. 

 
Actions by Cuba. Responding to a question, Senator Flake addressed the charge that America didn't get anything out of the deal, that Cuba made no concessions. "My response," he said, "is always, Why should we demand concessions for allowing Americans to travel to Cuba?"

But yes, there are things he would like the Cuban government to do. All of Cuba's imports, for example, are now handled by the Cuban government. Senator Flake would like to see those imports begin to flow through private parties. 

 
Our impression from the event is that Senator Flake is focused on two things. One is American freedom, including the freedom to travel to Cuba and trade with Cuba. The other is the change that contact with freedom brings to Cuba. Talking about those changes, again in response to a question, Senator Flake said: