With the energy of the House of Representatives' Cuba Working Group in tact, the summer months of July through September should provide for numerous votes on Cuba-related legislation. The following is an overview of what types of legislation may be offered, followed by action that you can take:

Ending the Embargo: Congressman Rangel (D-NY) has offered amendments to the Treasury/Postal bill for the last two years which would ban all funds to the Treasury Department for the enforcement of the embargo. Although it lost both years, the vote in 2001 lost by a slim margin of 226-201. This amendment would not remove the embargo on Cuba from law, but would rather de-fund it. It would make a statement from Congress that its majority is opposed to the embargo on the whole. Congressman Rangel is expected to offer his amendment again on the Treasury/Postal Appropriations bill, which will likely come to the House floor in mid July.

Travel: The Cuba Working Group has made opening travel to Cuba one of its key priorities. Last year an amendment to the Treasury/Postal Appropriations bill, offered by Representatives Flake (R-AZ) and McGovern (D-MA), and sponsored by a number of current members of the House Cuba Working Group, passed overwhelmingly 240-186. The amendment was eventually dropped in the conference committee. This year members from the Working Group will likely offer a similar amendment, and concerned members of the House are working with their colleagues in the Senate to ensure that the language would be "untouchable" in the conference committee. This amendment would again be offered on the Treasury/Postal Appropriations bill in mid-July.

Food and medicine: Under current US law, food and medicine sales to Cuba may be made on a cash-only basis. Although Cuba has made limited purchases, the financing restriction significantly hampers both US and Cuban interests in realizing the benefits of trade. An attempt to lift these restrictions was made on the Farm Bill earlier this year with broad bipartisan support from both the House and Senate. A conference committee, bowing to the pressure of the House leadership eventually dropped the provision. A likely amendment to the Treasury/Postal Appropriations bill this year will raise the issue again, and will seek to end such cumbersome restrictions on the sale of food and medicine. The Treasury/Postal Appropriations bill will likely be debated in the House in late July.

TV/Radio Marti: Recent hearings in the House International Relations committee demonstrated deep concerns over the way money is appropriated for TV and Radio Marti. These TV and radio broadcasts are made from Miami and are directed towards the Cuban people. Although they are intended to be sources of reliable information for the Cuban people, TV Marti cannot be viewed because it is jammed by the Cuban government, and Radio Marti has been accused of providing biased information coming from a hardline Miami Cuban exile perspective. Although it is not clear exactly how the TV/Radio Marti issue will be dealt with, one possible route that has been discussed would be an amendment to the Commerce, Justice, State (CJS) Appropriations bill, in which money being used for TV Marti would be cut and transferred to Radio Marti. Some form of reorganization within Radio Marti may also be addressed. The CJS bill will likely be handled in early September.

Section 211: One key issue of concern for US business interests is that so-called Section 211 legislation. This section which is part of a omnibus trade law from 1998, prohibits foreign companies using property confiscated during the Cuban revolution from exercising trademark rights in the United States. It was included after heavy lobbying from the Bacardi Rum company who was seeking to use the name "Havana Club" on its rum, despite the fact that French liquor company Pernod-Ricard produced a rum of the same name under a joint venture with the Cuban government. The World Trade Organization recently ruled that Section 211 violated international trade law, and the US government is in the process of rewriting it. It is in the interests of US businesses to see Section 211 repealed, as Cuba has threatened to cease respecting US patents and trademarks unless the law was reversed. Fidel Castro has hinted at producing his own brand of cola and calling it Coca Cola. Although it remains unclear what legislative vehicle might be used, the issue of Section 211 could very well surface on some legislation this summer.

Action:

The first votes will take place in the House of Representatives as early as July 11th, but most likely the week of July 15th. Now is the time to call and/or fax your member of Congress and ask for their support on the initiatives listed above. We call particular attention to the Rangel Amendment. By asking your Representative to support the Rangel amendment to de-fund the entire embargo, it shows how strong the call to change this failed policy is. It also opens up political space for the member to support, at a minimum, legislation to open travel and humanitarian trade.

To contact your member of Congress you may call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. Ask to speak with the aide who handles US-Cuba policy.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The 209th General Assembly (1997) of the Presbyterian Church (USA):

• Renews the call upon the United States government to initiate negotiations with the Cuban government toward the end of reestablishing full diplomatic relations.
  
  
• Renews the call to develop cooperative efforts on radio and television transmission, detection and interdiction of narcotic traffic, air and sea traffic, environmental protections and nuclear safety issues, improving postal service, eliminating travel and currency restrictions, and ensuring the access of Cuba to medicines, medical equipment, and major food requirements.
  
  
• Renews the call on the United States government to end the economic sanctions that it has imposed on Cuba and to respect the opinion of the world community in this matter. (Minutes, 1997, Part I, p. 589)