House Ag Committee Approves Cuba Bill

The House Agriculture Committee passed a bill to expand U.S. agricultural trade and travel to Cuba.  H.R. 4645, the Travel Restriction Reform and Export Enhancement Act, "is a bipartisan bill introduced by Chairman Peterson and co-sponsored by 62 Members of Congress."  The committee voted to pass the bill 25-20, according to the press release.

The bill, as reported by the New York Times, is only a preliminary step toward Congressional approval -- it "must still go through the Foreign Affairs and Financial Services Committees before it can be considered by the full House.  Then, the Senate would have to act."

Many business and farming groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Farmers Union support the bill, saying that "it would be a major boost for American farmers."  The bill would "allow American commodities to be sold directly to Cuba and allow some direct financial transactions with Cuban banks."

Some, however, oppose the bill and argue that lifting travel restrictions would "prop up Cuba's government" at at time when the country has recently been weakened by several factors including "the global economic crisis, a sustained drop in revenues from tourism and natural resources and by three hurricanes that caused billions of dollars in damage two summers ago," according to the Washington Post.

To read the House Agriculture Committee press release, click here.
To read the New York Times story, click here.
To read the Washington Post story, click here.

Posted: 07/2/10