House aims to ease barriers, but vetoes on Cuba expected

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Thu, Sep. 23, 2004

House aims to ease barriers, but vetoes on Cuba expected

VOTES TARGET BANS ON MEDICINE, VISITS
By Jim Abrams
Associated Press


WASHINGTON - A day after moving to nullify the Bush administration's new rules restricting family travel to Cuba, the House on Wednesday voted to remove barriers to agriculture sales and student exchanges in the island nation.But, as in past years, actions by both the House and Senate to ease decades of economic and social sanctions imposed on Cuba are expected to make little headway against an administration determined not to make life easier for Fidel Castro and his government. The White House has threatened to veto a $90 billion Transportation and Treasury Department spending bill if it contains any language to weaken sanctions. The bill, for fiscal 2005 programs, passed 397-12.
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For years, during both the Clinton and Bush administrations, Democrats and free-trade Republicans have, with little success, questioned the effectiveness of trying to end the 45-year-old Castro government through a policy of isolation. The Senate Appropriations Committee, on three different spending bills this year, has moved to prevent the government from enforcing restrictions on travel, gift parcels to Cuban family members and food sales to Cuba.

The House on Wednesday approved two of the Cuba amendments without a roll call vote. The first, introduced by Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles, would make it easier to sell agricultural products, medicine and medical supplies to Cuba. Sales of health care goods have been legal since 1992, and cash-only sales of food products since 2000, but restrictions on commercial financing and credit guarantees have discouraged exports.

The second, sponsored by Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, prohibits funds to enforce regulations promulgated June 30 this year that erect obstacles to American student programs in Cuba. The rules are ``just plain undemocratic and punitive and simply don't make sense for Americans,'' she said.
Tuesday, the House voted, 225-174, to approve an amendment by Rep. Jim Davis, D-Fla., that blocks another June 30 rule allowing Cuban-Americans to visit family in Cuba only once every three years. Davis' provision would restore the old system allowing one visit a year.
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[struggle4progress]

1. kick

:kick:

[Mika]

2. Lincoln Diaz Balart and Ileana Ros promised to kill it

It won't last. It'll disappear in committee. As usual.

They want to present _Bush with a bill he won't veto.