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Now comes the backlash to President Barack Obama's outreach to Cuba.

Florida Republicans are leading the charge against Obama's new policy to end the isolation of Cuba, setting up a clash in Congress next year and a point of debate along the presidential campaign trail.

The controversy gives U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio a crusade to lead in the Senate and gives former Gov. Jeb Bush a cause to promote if he decides to run for president. The issue raises their profile on the national stage and sets up a clear contrast with Obama and Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic front-runner for president.

Republicans are looking for ways to block Obama from carrying out his plan to normalize relations with the Cuban government, set up an embassy in Havana, expand American travel to the island and create phone and Internet links.

"We'll do everything we can to address that in the days and weeks to come," Rubio, R-Fla, said Thursday.

He stood alongside outraged and heartbroken relatives of the men who were shot down while flying Brothers to the Rescue planes off Cuba's coast in 1996. The relatives clutched a poster of the men killed Carlos A. Costa, Pablo Morales, Mario M. de la Pena and Armando Alejandre Jr. calling them martyrs and showing their photographs. "Justice Delayed is Justice Denied," it read.

"We were so heartbroken yesterday when we heard the news," said Miriam de la Pena, mother of one of the men. "As a matter of fact, we were shocked. I didn't want to speak to anyone for many hours just trying to absorb what had just happened. Once again, Feb. 24, 1996, was felt in our community."

Rubio has indicated he will try to deny funding for a U.S. embassy in Havana and to block confirmation of any proposed ambassador to Cuba.

Incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said this week he would defer to Rubio on Cuba matters. Other Republicans were quick to join the fight.

"I will do all in my power to block the use of funds to open an embassy in Cuba. Normalizing relations with Cuba is a bad idea at a bad time," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said in a tweet.

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Florida Republicans lead charge against Cuba outreach

He also threatened to use the Senates budget powers to withhold the funds needed to fully reopen the embassy building in Havanas Plaza de la Revolucin.

I intend to use every tool at our disposal in the majority to unravel as many of these changes as possible, Mr Rubio said.

His call to fight Mr Obamas diplomatic initiative was echoed by Lindsey Graham, another Republican senator.

I will do all in my power to block the use of funds to open an embassy in Cuba. Normalising relations with Cuba is bad idea at a bad time, Mr Graham said.

The stand-off illustrates the political reality Mr Obama faces in his final two years in office with Republicans fully in control of Congress. While he retains vast powers over US foreign policy the Republicans also have a wide array of tools to try to thwart him.

Josh Earnest, Mr Obama's spokesman, said it was "odd" that Mr Rubio would oppose an embassy in Cuba when he had recently spoken about the importance of the US embassy in China.

"'Senator Rubio said, 'Our embassy [in China] should be viewed as an ally of those within the Chinese society that are looking to express their fundamental rights and to worship freely,'" he said. "We think the exact same thing can be said of the new American embassy in Cuba."

The US is currently represented in Havana by a special interests section that operates under the auspices of the Swiss embassy. The section is led by a senior US diplomat who would remain the acting envoy to the Castro regime if Republicans blocked the appointment of an ambassador.

Mr Obama will also need the cooperation of Republicans to lift the 54-year-old trade embargo that bans US companies from importing or exporting to Cuba.

The President called for an honest and serious debate about ending the embargo but few in Washington believe there is any chance the Republicans will agree before Mr Obama leaves office in early 2017.

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Republicans threaten to stop US embassy opening in Cuba

President Barack Obamas plan to normalize relations with Cuba has hit a familiar roadblock: Republicans on Capitol Hill.

Just hours after Obama announced that a prisoner swap with the Cuban government for two Americans was the start of a new relationship with the communist country, Republicans began informally kicking around ideas to stop any changes to the U.S.-Cuba relationship.

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On the list: deny Obama funds to reopen an embassy in Havana, stall the nomination of a potential ambassador, vote down a bill to open up travel more widely and ignore requests from the White House to lift a decades-old embargo.

(Also on POLITICO: Obama's December surprise)

When Republicans control the Senate next year, the party would be in a good position to get some of their plans done. But even if they cant fully stop Obama, who has some authority to act without Congress, the dispute will provide another opportunity for the presidents Hill rivals, including 2016 likely hopefuls Sens. Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, to continue to question his use of executive action a theme Republicans had already planned to take on next year around Obamas moves on immigration and Obamacare.

I will do all in my power to block the use of funds to open an embassy in Cuba. Normalizing relations with Cuba is bad idea at a bad time, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said on Twitter Wednesday.

In a White House address on Wednesday, Obama said he would direct Secretary of State John Kerry to reviews Cubas place on a list of state sponsors of terrorism, reestablish an embassy in Havana and ease travel restrictions. Obama also said the U.S. would increase remittance levels, expand commercial sales and exports.

(Also on POLITICO: GOP livid over Cuba)

We will end an outdated approach that for decades has failed to advance our interests, Obama said. Neither the American nor the Cuban people are well-served by a rigid policy that is rooted in events that took place before most of us were born.

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How Republicans could stop Obama's Cuba play

Republicans Blame Cruz for Year-end Confirmations
Unhappy Republicans say Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas has given President Barack Obama a present this holiday season a gift certificate good for confirmation of 1...

By: WochitGeneralNews

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Republicans Blame Cruz for Year-end Confirmations - Video

Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who may run for president in 2016, is leading a Republican charge to do everything possible to block President Barack Obamas move to normalize relations with Cuba.

Yet even Rubio says there may be little the Republican-controlled Congress can do.

I would concede that many of the changes that have been made today, such as diplomatic relations, fall within the purview of the presidency, Rubio told reporters today in Washington.

Rubio, whose parents left Cuba in 1956, said Republican lawmakers will use every tool at our disposal in the majority to unravel as many of these changes as possible.

Blocking funds for an embassy in Cuba and refusing to confirm an ambassador to the island nation are steps Rubio and others in his party suggested Congress might be able to take.

Were going to have a very interesting couple of years discussing how youre going to get an ambassador nominated and how youre going to get an embassy funded, said Rubio, who is set to become chairman of a panel that oversees foreign relations in the Western Hemisphere.

The president announced today that the U.S. will open an embassy in Havana and loosen a half-century-old trade and travel embargo. Fully lifting the full trade embargo would require action by Congress, where both chambers will be led by Republicans starting in January.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters today that congressional appropriations may not be necessary to set up an embassy in Cuba because theres already a significant U.S. diplomatic presence there.

Obamas action, a day after Congress adjourned for the year, sets up another fight for early 2015 between the White House and Republican lawmakers as attention begins to turn to the 2016 presidential race. Rubio is among lawmakers considering a presidential run, as are fellow Republican senators Ted Cruz of Texas and Rand Paul of Kentucky.

The expiration of funding for Department of Homeland Security on Feb. 27 could provide an opportunity for Republicans to try to curb Obamas Cuba move. Republicans want to attach language to the measure to block Obamas orders easing deportation for undocumented immigrants in the U.S.

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Republicans Look for Ways to Block Obamas Cuba Policy in 2015