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WASHINGTON - Congressman Charles Rangel today joined a bi-partisan group of lawmakers in unveiling legislation to remove restrictions on agricultural trade with Cuba and to end the embargo on U.S. travel to the island.
Congressman Rangel attended the press conference with Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee who co-authored the bill and introduced the Senate version. Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO), both strong advocates for change in U.S. Cuba policy, were also at the podium.
"I am very pleased to join my colleagues in the House and Senate to work in a bi-partisan manner to fix a policy that has been broken for years," Congressman Rangel said. "A policy that in 50 years has done nothing to change Cuba but only harms everyday Americans, our farmers and our business people should be changed. That is what this bill is designed to do."
At the time of the press conference, 39 members of the House had signed on as original co-sponsors of the bill.
The bill's major provisions would:
- Remove prepayment requirements for agricultural exports to Cuba
- Allow direct payment by Cuban customers to U.S. banks
- Remove the ban on American travel to Cuba
- Provide expedited U.S. visas to Cubans involved in agricultural purchases from the U.S.
- Eliminates onsite verification requirements for U.S. medicines and medical supplies sold to Cuba
- Protects U.S. trademarks in Cuba
Provides funds to promote U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba
Under the current policy, U.S. agricultural sales to Cuba which had risen dramatically after a change in the law in 2001, are now decreasing due to a more restrictive interpretation of the law since 2005.
Companies in 38 states have signed contracts to sell commodities to Cuba, with total sales of $2 billion since 2001. According to various estimates, the banking regulations are costing American producers $200 to $300 million. It has been estimated that lifting the travel embargo entirely would create 20,000 new jobs and $1 billion in revenues to the U.S. travel industry.
In addition, travel by Americans to Cuba, which is strictly limited under rigorous Treasury Department regulations, has decreased by 50 percent since the tightening of those sanctions in 2004. Most dramatically impacted has been travel by Cuban Americans to visit their relatives in Cuba. They are only allowed one visit every three years, even in the event of medical emergencies or deaths in the family.
"It's no secret that these policies are driven by politics and electoral concerns that have nothing to do with Cuba," Congressman Rangel said. "But the sad fact is that everyday Americans are being hurt, and our farm and business sectors are paying the price for a failed policy."
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