House Eases Restrictions on Cuba

ByABC News
July 20, 2000, 10:37 PM

W A S H I N G T O N, July 21 -- The House voted today to allow unrestrictedU.S. food and drug sales to Cuba and let Americans freely travelthere. The vote was a major victory for farm, business and othergroups trying to ease the four-decade-old sanctions against FidelCastros government.

With supporters arguing that increased contacts would helpweaken Castros hold over the communist nation, the House voted232-186 to stop enforcing rules that limit the ability of Americansto travel to Cuba.

It then voted 301-116 to also halt enforcement of rules banningU.S. exports there of food, and of rules limiting sales there ofAmerican medicine.

Minutes earlier, lawmakers voted 241-174 to reject a broaderproposal by Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., that would have endedenforcement of United States prohibitions against virtually alltrading with the Caribbean island nation.

Major Setback for GOP Leaders

Even so, approval of the narrower provisions was a major victoryfor an alliance of conservative, liberal, business- and farm-statelawmakers. And it was an embarrassing setback for House GOPleaders, who have opposed easing the sanctions.

The Senate approved a separate agriculture spending bill onThursday that would permit food and medical sales with Cuba andprevent a president from blocking shipments of food and medicine toany country without congressional approval.

But it was unclear whether Thursdays votes meant that tradesanctions with Cuba would be lifted this year.

This improves the likelihood well have some sanctionreform, Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., sponsor of the provision easingfood and drug restrictions, said after the vote. But there aremany members of Congress, including people in the leadership, whooppose lifting sanctions this year.

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., has said he thinksthe Senate languageand a compromise worked out last monthbetween House leaders and supporters of easing trade sanctions -goes too far.