U.S. Prepares for Possible Showdown in Cuba, Congress Seeks to Encourage Cuban Dissidents

We have 45 million people without health insurance in the U.S.; people are losing their pensions and are forced into bankruptcy, but we have millions of dollars for other countries. Maybe some wealthy Cuban citizens can send us some money since all Cubans have access to free medical care.

By LAURIE KELLMAN

WASHINGTON Aug 2, 2006 (AP)— The White House and Congress, caught unaware by Fidel Castro's illness, prepared Wednesday for a possible showdown in Cuba as lawmakers drafted legislation that would give millions of dollars to dissidents who fight for democratic change.

"The message will be, `The United States stands with you,'" Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., one of the bill's authors, said in an interview. "Be ready to assert your independence."

There was no sign of upheaval in Cuba on Wednesday, two days after Castro stunned U.S. officials and many of his own countrymen with the news that he had temporarily ceded power to his brother, Raul, in order to undergo surgery.
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For now, Bush administration officials and members of Congress were focused on offering dissidents cash for fighting for democratic change.
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Legislation sponsored by Nelson, fellow Floridian Mel Martinez, Majority Leader Bill Frist and others would authorize as much as $80 million over two years and pay half of that almost immediately to dissidents and nongovernmental organizations on the island.
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http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=2266711&CMP..