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Summary

Restrictions on travel to Cuba have been a key and often contentious component in U.S. efforts to isolate the communist government of Fidel Castro for much of the past 40 years. Over time, there have been numerous changes to the restrictions, and for 5 years, from 1977 until 1982, there were no restrictions on travel to Cuba. In March 2003, the Administration eased restrictions on those visiting close family members in Cuba, while at the same time it eliminated travel for people-to-people educational exchanges unrelated to academic coursework. This report surveys changes to the travel restrictions dating back to the 1960s, summarizes major arguments for and against lifting such restrictions, and tracks legislative initiatives to ease restrictions on travel to Cuba. Major arguments made for lifting the Cuba travel ban are it hinders efforts to influence conditions in Cuba and may be aiding Castro by helping restrict the flow of information; it abridges the rights of ordinary Americans; and Americans can travel to other countries with communist or authoritarian governments. Major arguments in opposition to lifting the Cuba travel ban are American tourist travel would support Castro's rule by providing his government with millions of dollars in tourist receipts; there are legal provisions allowing travel to Cuba for humanitarian purposes that are used by thousands of Americans each year; and the President should be free to restrict travel for foreign policy reasons. In the 107th Congress, while there were various measures introduced that would have eliminated or eased restrictions on travel to Cuba, and while the House voted in both the first and second sessions to prohibit spending to administer the travel regulations, no final action was taken affecting U.S. restrictions on travel to Cuba. In the 108th Congress, the final version of the FY2003 omnibus appropriations measure, H.J.Res. 2 (P.L. 108-7), which included Treasury Department appropriations, did not include provisions affecting restrictions on travel to Cuba. The White House had threatened to veto the measure if it contained provisions weakening the embargo. To date in the 108th Congress, two bills have been introduced that would specifically lift restrictions on travel to Cuba: S. 950 (Enzi) and H.R. 2071 (Flake). In addition, three broader bills would lift all Cuba embargo restrictions, including those on travel: H.R. 188 (Serrano), S. 403 (Baucus), and H.R. 1698 (Paul). Cuba's human rights crackdown 2003 could have a negative impact on momentum behind legislative proposals to ease restrictions on U.S. travel to Cuba. This report will be updated to reflect major developments. For additional information, see CRS Report RL31740, Cuba: Issues for the 108th Congress. For a comparison of countries for which the U.S. government also maintains travel restrictions -- Cuba, Iraq, Libya, and North Korea -- see CRS Report RS21003, Travel Restrictions: U.S. Government Limits on American Citizens' Travel Abroad.

Related Legislation:
• S.950
• H.R.2071
• H.R.188
• S.403
• H.R.1698
• H.J.RES.2
• S.2100

Related Reports:
• RL31139
• RL31139

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