Yesterday's Press Conf: Senate Cuba Travel Bill

[magbana]

If I can get a link for their video recorded via cell phone, I will post.
magbana

Travel Ban Legislation Goes Public
Posted by: "Latin America Working Group" [e-mail] mavisanderson2003
Tue Mar 31, 2009 3:22 pm (PDT)
Dear Cuba Policy Advocates,

Today at 12 noon Senators Dorgan (D-ND), Enzi (R-WY), and Dodd (D-CT), along with representatives of the American Farm Burean, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Human Rights Watch, publicly announced S. 428, "The Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act" in a press conference so well attended that reporters were standing in the halls. LAWG was there capturing the excitement of the moment and representing all of you.

Check out a clip of the press conference that we recorded on our cell phone camera. (Apologies for the poor quality, but it's the best we could do.)

The senators announced S. 428 enthusiastically; and thanks to all of your work in the previous day, months, and years, the bill was introduced with 20 Senate co-sponsors.

On Thursday, April 2, the House of Representatives will hold a press conference to unvail H.R. 874, the House companion of "The Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act." Also, because of all your hard work calling offices and sending messages, there are an amazing total of 121 co-sponsors on H.R. 874.

To check if your member has co-sponsored the bill, visit www.thomas.gov and search for bill number, H.R. 874. If she/he hasn't, please call or use this link to send a message. You can search thomas.gov for a list of co-sponsors for S.428 also and use this link to e-mail your senators.

Your work contacting your members and telling your friends has gotten us to this point, and we want to thank you for everything you've done. Please, keep your energy and determination high; and if you haven't checked out our most recent blog post, be sure to do so (see the top right corner of this message or visit our website, www.lawg.org).

Don't forget to forward this message to your friends and family, especially if you have previously forwarded our messages to individuals and lists that aren't part of the LAWG network (we have no other way to reach them to report on the results of their calls and e-mails)! We need to continue building momentum if we want to see a real change in our Cuba policy.

If you aren't already part of our Cuba policy e-mail network, sign up here.

Sincerely,

Mavis Anderson
Paulo Gusmao
www.lawg.org

[magbana]

1. News Release for April 2 House News Conf.

NEWS RELEASE/Delahunt/Flake: HR 874 -- Allows All Americans the Free
Posted by: "Walter Lippmann" [e-mail] walterlx
Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:05 am (PDT)
For Immediate Release:
March 30, 2009

Further Information:
Mark Forest/Rory Sheehan - 202-225-3111

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ma10_delahunt/cubapressconf09.html

DELAHUNT, FLAKE & CUBA WORKING GROUP CALL FOR LIFTING TRAVEL BAN
Legislation -- HR 874 -- Allows All Americans the Freedom to Travel to Cuba

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representatives Bill Delahunt (D-MA) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ), the co-chairs of the bipartisan House Cuba Working Group, will be joined by Cuban-American leaders and other Representatives in a press conference at 11:00 AM on Thursday April 2 in Room 2255 of the Rayburn House Office Building.

The participants will discuss HR 874, the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act, which now has over 120 co-sponsors, and will urge its passage by the Congress. The legislation would end the current ban on travel by Americans to Cuba. At present the US government allows Americans to travel almost anywhere in the world - except Cuba.

“During his election campaign, now-President Barack Obama pledged to allow unrestricted travel by Cuban-Americans,” said Delahunt. “He can do this by executive order, with no action needed in Congress. But for average Americans to exercise their right to travel to Cuba, Congress needs to change the law, and that’s what HR 874 would do. Thursday’s event will highlight the reasons why this bill is critical to the freedom of both Americans and Cubans.”

WHO: Representatives Bill Delahunt & Jeff Flake, other Cuba
Working Group Members, & Cuban-American Leaders

WHERE: Room 2255 of the Rayburn House Office Building:

WHEN: Thursday, April 2, 2009 at 11:00 a.m.

SUBJECT: HR 874, the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act

[Judi Lynn]

2. Thanks for this link clearing up the confusion on travel.

Sure hope Delahunt will make it through with this one. They've been trying long enough.

Keep those fingers crossed.

Thank you, magbana, for these links.

[EFerrari]

3. This is going to be a big brawl. If we can travel to Cuba and see for ourselves

the whole political landscape in FL will have to shift. The DLCers and their friends in the White House won't have that. :shrug: