RL33819
Cuba: Issues for the 110th Congress
September 27, 2007
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Summary
Since the early 1960s, U.S. policy toward Cuba under Fidel Castro has consisted largely of isolating the communist nation through economic sanctions, which the Bush Administration has tightened significantly. A second policy component has consisted of support measures for the Cuban people, including private humanitarian donations and U.S.-sponsored radio and television broadcasting to Cuba. As in past years, the main issue for U.S. policy toward Cuba in the 110th Congress is how to best support political and economic change in one of the world's remaining communist nations. Unlike past years, however, Congress is now examining policy toward Cuba in the context of Fidel Castro's temporary, and potentially permanent, departure from the political scene because of health conditions. In the 110th Congress, both the House-passed and Senate Appropriations Committee reported versions of the FY2008 Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill, H.R. 2829, have provisions that would prevent funds from being used to require the payment of cash in advance prior to the shipment of U.S. agricultural goods to Cuba; the Senate version also would ease restrictions on travel to Cuba for the marketing and sale of agricultural and medical goods. S. 1859, the Senate Appropriations Committee version of the FY2008 agriculture appropriations bill, also has a provision that would ease travel restrictions for the marketing and sale of agricultural and medical goods. On July 27, 2007, the House rejected H.Amdt. 707 to H.R. 2419, the 2007 farm bill, that would have facilitated the export of U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba in several ways. Several other initiatives would ease sanctions: H.R. 177 (educational travel); H.R. 216 (Cuban baseball players); H.R. 217 and H.R. 624 (overall sanctions); H.R. 654, S. 554, and S. 721 (travel); H.R. 757 (family travel and remittances); H.R. 1026 (sale of U.S. agricultural products); H.R. 2819/S. 1673 (sale of U.S. agricultural and medical products and travel); and S. 1268 and H.R. 3182 (development of Cuba's offshore oil). S. 554 would terminate U.S.-government sponsored television broadcasting to Cuba. Several initiatives would tighten sanctions: H.R. 525 (related to U.S. fugitives in Cuba), and H.R. 1679/S. 876 (related to Cuba's offshore oil development). Two initiatives, H.R. 1306 and S. 749, would amend a provision of law restricting the registration or enforcement of certain Cuban trademarks; H.R. 217, H.R. 624, H.R. 2819, and S. 1673 would repeal the trademark sanction. Both the House and Senate-passed versions of the FY2008 foreign aid appropriations bill, H.R. 2764, fully fund the Administration's $45.7 million request for Cuba democracy programs. Both versions would provide $33.7 million for Cuba broadcasting. The House version would prohibit funding for counternarcotics cooperation with Cuba, while the Senate version would provide $1 million. This report will be updated regularly. Also see CRS Report RL31139, Cuba: U.S. Restrictions on Travel and Remittances; CRS Report RS20468, Cuban Migration Policy and Issues; and CRS Report RL33622, Cuba's Future Political Scenarios and U.S. Policy Approaches.
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Related Legislation:
- H.R.2829
- S.1859
- H.R.2419
- H.R.177
- H.R.216
- H.R.217
- H.R.624
- H.R.654
- S.554
- S.721
- H.R.757
- H.R.1026
- H.R.2819
- S.1673
- S.1268
- H.R.3182
- H.R.525
- H.R.1679
- S.876
- H.R.1306
- S.749
- H.R.2764
- S.2046
