Top Democrats look to advance tech's march in Cuba

Cubans -- especially young ones -- are “hungry” for technology and access to the Internet, top congressional Democrats said during a trip to Cuba, and tech companies are eager to supply it. “One of the things that has been striking to us is to see the success of small businesses while we were here, and all of which -- whether it’s agriculture, small businesses, health -- all of it benefits from improved technology, communication," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said.

"I think the operative word is ‘future,’” added House Communications Subcommittee Ranking Member Anna Eshoo (D-CA). “I think that this is an area that will be highly beneficial to Cuban society, and will help advance...the values that you all hold, as we do,” she said. “I’d love to come back and see 95 percent [broadband Internet] penetration...We want to work with them in order to advance it, so that really the values of the Cuban people, in education, in medicine, in commerce, in scholarship -- that all of that can be advanced, just as it is in our society and other countries around the world.”

In addition to the Internet, new technology would also allow Cuban doctors to diagnose and speak with patients remotely, the lawmakers noted, which could have profound impacts on public health.