US Debates Lifting Cuba Travel Ban

[tekisui]

Source: Al Jazeera


The United States Congress is debating a proposal to lift the travel ban to Cuba, almost half a century after the US isolated itself from the communist country.

Richard Lugar, a Republican senator, and Howard Berman, a Democratic senator, said in a statement on Thursday: "It's time for us to scrap this anachronistic ban, imposed during one of the chilliest periods of the Cold War."

Cuba is the only country to which the US has implemented a travel ban.

Lugar, the most senior Republican on the senate foreign relations committee, and Berman, who chairs the house foreign affairs committee, said that legislation to overturn the ban has been introduced in both chambers of the US Congress.

The senators have charged that the travel ban, imposed in the aftermath of the 1959 Cuban revolution that swept Fidel Castro to power, had hurt US efforts to promote democratic reforms in the Socialist-run island.

more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2009/11/2009111916176494213.html

[MidwestRick]

1. It's about time

[MidwestRick]

2. It's about time

[Kaleva]

3. Another item to write my reps in Congress about. To lift the ban.

[Kaleva]

4. more info including my e-mail to Stupak thanking him for supporting lifting the ban.

"The House bill to end the travel ban to Cuba has been led by Congressman Bill Delahunt (D-MA) on the Dem side and Arizona Congressman Jeff Flake (R-AZ) who often says that it's supposed to be Communist governments, not Democratic ones, that impose restrictions on their citizen's choices to travel. The House Bill now has 180 cosponsors comprised of both Republicans and Democrats.

The companion Senate bill has 34 Senate cosponsors. Informal whip counts put the House bill at 205 votes -- within striking distance of the 218 needed, and between 61-64 in the Senate."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-clemons/howard-bermanrichard-luga_b_360180.html

"H.R. 874: Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act"

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-874

"Dear Mr. Stupak,

I want to thank you for being a co-sponsor of H.R. 874: Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act. I think most Americans today do not really know the reason for the restriction on traveling to and from Cuba as it was put into effect so long ago and has, in my opinion, completely outlived whatever effectiveness it may have had.
It is my belief that often the best way for two nations to get to exist together peacefully is to allow the citizens to freely intermingle with each other. I also believe that President Obama ought to rigorously promote the passage of H.R. 874 along with the corresponding act in the Senate to be signed into law by him without setting preconditions.
Again, I thank you for your efforts on this important matter.

Sincerely,"