Wilson Introduces Ensuring Diplomats Safety Act
WASHINGTON – Congressman Joe Wilson today introduced the Ensuring Diplomats Safety Act. The bill requires the Secretary of State of the United States to remove all diplomatic personnel from Cuba until federal investigations into the harmful attacks on U.S. Foreign Service Officers are complete.
The congressman's bill was introduced after the Associated Press reported this week that: "Doctors treating the U.S. Embassy victims of mysterious, invisible attacks in Cuba have discovered brain abnormalities as they search for clues to explain the hearing, vision, balance and memory damage." (The Associated Press, 12/6/2017)
"We must be able to ensure the safety of our men and women representing the nation overseas," said Congressman Wilson, a senior member of House Foreign Affairs. "In light of the health issues experienced by Americans in Havana, we should consider bringing home all U.S. diplomatic staff from Cuba until we know who committed these attacks and can ensure their safety."
At least 20 diplomatic staff from the U.S. Embassy in Havana, and their families, reported a variety of injuries while working and living in Havana. The injuries sustained ranged from hearing loss to cognitive to balance issues and resulted in the evacuation of all non-essential personnel from the embassy and island. Investigators have suggested that these injuries resulted from the use of sonic-based weaponry throughout the U.S. diplomatic staff's time working at the embassy and staying in a hotel.
In October, Congressman Wilson asked the U.S. State Department to investigate attacks on diplomats in Havana in a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
"In light of these serious attacks on U.S. embassy staff, we urge the State Department to immediately investigate the incidents and figure out what is going on in Havana," he wrote.
The Associated Press' latest story on the health impact of these Cuban attacks is available here, and information about Congressman Wilson's letter to Secretary Tillerson is available here.
-###-