Cuban Embargo Could be Lowered
Dateline: 06/27/00
Later this week, Republican Members of the U.S. House will attempt to pass, as an amendment to another bill, language that would lower the 40-year old U.S. embargo on sales of food and medicine to Cuba.
According to a Reuters story filed this morning, the proposed legislation would exempt sales of food and medicine from U.S. government sanctions against Cuba, as well as the countries of :Libya, Sudan, and North Korea.
The proposal divided House Republicans and a compromise was not reached until lawmakers agreed that Cuba would not be allowed to receive private financing -- loans, extensions of credit, guarantees, and insurance -- for agriculture sales under the proposed legislation.
Under the compromise, Cuba would be allowed to seek credit for buying food and medicine only from private sources, not the U.S. government. This limitation would apply only to Cuba, not to the other countries involved.
Supporter say this restriction will prevent U.S. taxpayers from having to pay for Cuban defaults on government-backed loans.
The Republican proposal will not ease the
existing travel restrictions between the U.S. and Cuba. Travel would be allowed
to Cuba only for business purposes only.
| Online Discussion: How do you feel about easing the Cuban embargo? |
Lowering the food embargo could have a positive impact on the American agricultural industry by making Cuba's $700 million-a-year imported food market accessible to U.S. farmers for the first time in 40 years. However, the ban on extending government credit to Cuba would make it harder for smaller U.S. agricultural exporters to sell to Cuba.
In a later Reuters report, White House spokesman Joe Lockhart stated that while President Clinton was not opposed easing sanctions to allow sales of food and medicine to Cuba, he is concerned that the Republican proposal might limit presidential powers to issue and manage future embargos.
The propose legislation will probably be offered as an amendment to one of the fiscal year 2001 federal budget appropriations bills now being considered by Congress. Check back here for further developments.
Reference Links
House leaders agree to lift food and medicine embargo against Cuba
Congressional negotiators, under pressure from farm-state lawmakers anxious to expand exports, reached agreement early Tuesday morning to lift the nearly 40-year-old food and medicine embargo against communist Cuba. (CNN, June 27, 2000)Time to End the Embargo?
In-depth analysis of the past present and future of the Cuba/US embargoed relationship from Policy.com. (June 26, 2000)
A Proposal for Normalizing Relations with Cuba
A proposal from a member of our forum hoping to move forward with issues surrounding the U.S. relationship with Cuba. From Law Guide Paul S. Reed.
A look at the emotional backlash Cuban-Americans are receiving, from your About Latino Culture Guide, Richard L. Vázquez.
Human Rights Watch has issued a new report on Cuba that documents the country's failure to respect the civil and political rights, from Human Rights Guide Kevin Reed,
The tough decisions on US policy toward Cuba have merely been delayed, from World News Guide Keith Porter.
More
News & Features
Current stories from the headlines and behind the headlines.
In Congress
Today
The daily schedules of House and Senate, major legislation, votes and more.
US Government
Job Openings
Links to vacancy announcements at dozens of agencies and military branches.
Government Money and Aid - No Grant Needed
Where to find help with: Small Business Needs,
Healthcare, Work or Career, Home Improvements, Hunger and Child Care or Family
Needs. In most cases, you do not need a grant to get assistance from a
government program.
Huge Index of
Government Web Sites
One of the largest lists of agencies, bureaus and offices on the Web.
E-Government!
Online Government Services
From adopting wild horses to buying T-bills and bonds, the US Government is
working to make more an more of its services available to Internet users. Try
out E-Government now.
Supreme
Court Report
Find out about recent decisions and major cases now being considered by the
Supreme Court. Includes links to texts of Court decisions and analysis by many
of your About.com Guides and other major media sources.
How to...
...do lots of things involving the U.S. Government.
Latest
News and Features
The latest news and features on US Government Info/Resources.
Politics?
You want Politics?
Guide John Aravosis is and insider who'll deliver all the politics you can
handle.
Military
Questions?
Guide Rod Powers probably has the answers.
Immigration
Headlines
Keep up with the latest news about U.S. immigration laws and events with Guides
Jennifer and Peter Wipf.
Express Your
Opinions
Just click on a topic to read or take part in the discussion.
