Bills that affect Cuba policy
By BILLY HOUSE
Media General News Service
WASHINGTON — Democratic and Republican members of Congress who want to
change U.S. policy toward Cuba aren't just focusing on lifting travel
and trade sanctions in place for more than 45 years.
Cuba-related measures introduced this session also range from a bill to
allow U.S. oil and natural gas companies to work with the Cuban
government to drill in Cuban waters to legislation to lift immigration
restrictions for Cubans to play professional baseball in the United States.
Most of these bills — like those that would increase travel or trade —
are unlikely to survive President Bush's veto threats. None claims any
Florida members of Congress as sponsors or co-sponsors.
Still, these bills reflect the interest from lawmakers outside of
Florida toward relaxing sanctions against the island country, perhaps
boosted by speculation that Fidel Castro may never return to power.
Here's a quick rundown:
•S.875: Known as the Security and Fuel Efficiency Act of 2007, this bill
would allow U.S. oil and natural gas companies to work with the Cuban
government to drill in Cuban offshore fields already being explored by
joint ventures involving companies from Spain, China, Norway and
elsewhere. The main sponsor is Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D. It has one
co-sponsor.
Florida GOP Sen. Mel Martinez has responded with his own bill (S. 876)
to impose sanctions on individuals or entities that invest $1 million or
more to develop Cuba's oil and natural gas resources, and to deny U.S.
visas to foreign agents that contribute to that development.
•S.721: This bill would end all travel restrictions on American travel
to Cuba. The main sponsor is Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo. It has 14 co-sponsors.
•H.R. 1026: The Agriculture Export Facilitation Act of 2007 would end
the requirement that the Cuban government pay cash for food shipments
before the shipments leave U.S. ports. The main sponsor is Rep. Jerry
Moran, R-Kan. It has nine co-sponsors.
•H.R. 757: The Cuban-American Family Rights Restoration Act would allow
U.S. nationals and permanent residents to visit family members in Cuba.
The main sponsor is Rep. William Delahunt, D-Mass. It has 22 co-sponsors.
•H.R. 654: The Export Freedom to Cuba Act would allow all travel between
the United States and Cuba. The main sponsor is Rep. Charles Rangel,
D-N.Y. It has 89 co-sponsors.
•H.R. 624: The Free Trade with Cuba Act would lift the U.S. trade
embargo with Cuba and remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of
terrorism subject to agricultural and medical export restrictions. The
main sponsor is Rangel. It has 35 co-sponsors.
•H.R. 217: This bill would repeal the embargo placed upon all trade with
Cuba. The main sponsor is Rep. Jose Serrano, D-N.Y. It has eight
co-sponsors.
•H.R. 216: This would waive prohibitions with respect to Cuban nationals
coming to the United States to play professional baseball. The main
sponsor is Serrano. It has four co-sponsors.
Billy House is the Washington correspondent for the Tampa Tribune.
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