Congress Eases Cuba Travel Restrictions

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: Foreign Policy

(istockphoto.com)

The $410 billion omnibus spending bill passed by Congress last night, which is expected to be signed by President Obama, includes language easing restrictions on travel to Cuba.

Once the president signs the bill, Cuban-Americans will be able to visit the country every year for an extended trip. They are presently only allowed to visit every three years, and their time on the island is limited to two weeks.

It will "also expand the definition of 'close relative' to allow Cuban-Americans to visit cousins, nieces, nephews, aunts, and uncles, in addition to parents, grandparents, children and siblings," according to AFP, and "would allow Cuban-Americans to spend up to 179 dollars per day while in Cuba."

The bill will also ease limits on the importation of food and medicine to Cuba and on travel to the country to sell such goods, effectively easing – though not lifting – the U.S. trade embargo on the communist country, which was stiffened during the Bush administration.

The provisions prompted two Democratic senators, Bill Nelson of Florida and Bob Menendez of New Jersey, to consider opposing the spending bill. To ease their concerns, Bloomberg reports, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner promised tight oversight of the policy.

Geithner promised that "the representatives of only a narrow class of businesses would be eligible, under a new general license, to travel to Cuba." That satisfied Menendez, who had worried business visas would be exploited for general travel, as well as Nelson, both of whom ultimately backed the bill.

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by colt8881 March 11, 2009 1:00 PM EDT: A week without you
Thought I'd forget
Two weeks without you and I
Still haven't gotten over you yet

Vacation
All I ever wanted
Vacation
Had to get away
Vacation
Meant to be spent alone

Vacation in Cuba sound like FUN !; Reply to this comment


by SusanStoHelit March 11, 2009 12:50 PM EDT: There's no logical reason to have any kind of travel ban - the Soviets did that to keep their citizens from seeing a way of life they didn't want them to know about - why do we do it again?

Obviously not to change Cuba's government - the restrictions have completely failed to change a single thing about Cuba and Cuban life over the last 50 years! What was it again - insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result.

Open trade and travel up, let Cuba be flooded with American tourists that show how well different forms of government work, money and goods that will raise them out of mere survival poverty and to a standard of living where time and effort can be spared to reform their government.; Reply to this comment