Travel to Cuba, a political hot potato for decades in America, will remain taboo for the foreseeable future.
U.S. Rep. Howard Berman, D-Calif., this week pulled a bill from the House Foreign Affairs Committee that would have ended the 50-year-old travel ban to Cuba had it marched forward and passed.
For a very long time, I have either led or supported efforts to repeal restrictions on the freedom of Americans to travel, said Berman in a statement released late on Tuesday. The current prohibition on Americans traveling to Cuba is the last obstacle to the full enjoyment of this right. I strongly support HR 4645, the Travel Restriction Reform and Export Enhancement Act, which would eliminate the Cuba travel restrictions.
The committee had been scheduled to consider this legislation tomorrow, but it now appears that Wednesday will be the last day that Congress is in session before an extended district work period, added Berman. That makes it increasingly likely that our discussion of the bill will be disrupted or cut short by votes or other activity on the House floor. Accordingly, I am postponing consideration of HR 4645 until a time when the committee will be able to hold the robust and uninterrupted debate this important issue deserves. I firmly believe that when we debate and vote on the merits of this legislation --and I intend for it to be soon --the right to travel will be restored to all Americans.
Berman needed 24 votes to get the measure out of committee, but couldmuster only 16 as members of the Florida delegation fought against his proposal to lift the ban which has been in place for 50 years.
U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who represents parts of South Florida in Congress, helped lead the opposition to changing the policy.
Ros-Lehtinen, along with fellow South Florida Republicans U.S. Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart and U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, joined New Jersey Democrats U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez and U.S. Rep. Albio Sires in sending a letter last month to President Barack Obama arguing against lifting the travel ban.
There have been increasing news reports referencing statements by senior U.S. officials regarding an impending announcement of changes to current U.S.-Cuba policy, primarily to allow for increased U.S. travel to the island, they wrote. We are deeply troubled that such changes would result in economic benefits to the Cuban regime and would significantly undermine U.S. foreign policy and security objectives.
Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, the ranking Republican on the U.S. House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, cheered the postponement.
While Im glad that Democrats chose not to push through a last-ditch effort to vote on lifting the U.S. travel ban on Cubain the Foreign Affairs Committee this week, we shouldnt be having this vote in the first place until the Castro brothers make serious concessions to ensure freedom and improve human rights on the island, said Mack. Real democratic reforms are needed in Cuba, including free and fair elections, the release of all political prisoners, and a free and independent press that is allowed to operate without fear of oppression or violence.
Its outrageous that some members of this Congress would prop up the failing communist regimes economy by allowing an influx of U.S. tourist dollars in Cuba, added Mack. Opening Cuba to tourist travel is not going to change the Castro brothers tyrannical ways.
This Congress should be focusing on issues such as creating jobs, which would be accomplished by passing the pending free-trade agreements with Colombia and Panama not by bailing out the Castro regime, said Mack.
Democrats representing Florida in Congress have also been very critical of lifting the ban, including U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch and U.S. Rep. Ron Klein who both serve on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz has also weighed in against lifting the ban, defending the ban in an editorial in Mondays USA Today.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
