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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