Congress Should Play a More Decisive Role in Policy to Cuba
- Submitted by: admin
- International
- United States
- Business and Economy
- Politics and Government
- 09 / 28 / 2009
Among those measures were rules that allow Cuban-Americans to make unlimited visits and send an unlimited amount of remittances.
In addition, the regulations also give U.S. telecommunication companies the green light to offer fiber-optic cable, roaming cellular service, and satellite TV and radio in Cuba. But it's up to Cuba to decide whether it wants to do business with the U.S. companies.
As deep as the changes are, free-trade advocates want more. There are a handful of bills that have been filed that propose completely dismantling the embargo -- though few believe the measures have the political backing to pass.
More realistic, perhaps, are a handful of bills designed to take strategic bites out of the embargo. Whether they will gain traction, only time will tell.
Here are some of the proposals made during the current congressional session that could change the way business is done between the U.S. and Cuba: Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act Sponsor: Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., and Sen. Michael Enzi, R-Wyo.
This bill is one of several that propose making it legal for all U.S. citizens to visit Cuba. It also drops travel-related restrictions, including limits on baggage, living expenses and the purchase of personal-use goods on the island.
Analysts believe this bill, or the House version, which has 160 sponsors, could pass during this congressional session. Many travel experts believe that lifting the travel ban would nearly double the 2.3 million visitors the island receives per year. The promise of broader travel would also spark a rush of tour and cruise operators and revitalize the charter industry. For business "this is the bill that outweighs all others," said Cuba trade advocate Kirby Jones.
By allowing executives from all industries to meet their counterparts on the island, it would deepen ties and could be a boon for exporters.
Source: WiMax Reports
In addition, the regulations also give U.S. telecommunication companies the green light to offer fiber-optic cable, roaming cellular service, and satellite TV and radio in Cuba. But it's up to Cuba to decide whether it wants to do business with the U.S. companies.
As deep as the changes are, free-trade advocates want more. There are a handful of bills that have been filed that propose completely dismantling the embargo -- though few believe the measures have the political backing to pass.
More realistic, perhaps, are a handful of bills designed to take strategic bites out of the embargo. Whether they will gain traction, only time will tell.
Here are some of the proposals made during the current congressional session that could change the way business is done between the U.S. and Cuba: Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act Sponsor: Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., and Sen. Michael Enzi, R-Wyo.
This bill is one of several that propose making it legal for all U.S. citizens to visit Cuba. It also drops travel-related restrictions, including limits on baggage, living expenses and the purchase of personal-use goods on the island.
Analysts believe this bill, or the House version, which has 160 sponsors, could pass during this congressional session. Many travel experts believe that lifting the travel ban would nearly double the 2.3 million visitors the island receives per year. The promise of broader travel would also spark a rush of tour and cruise operators and revitalize the charter industry. For business "this is the bill that outweighs all others," said Cuba trade advocate Kirby Jones.
By allowing executives from all industries to meet their counterparts on the island, it would deepen ties and could be a boon for exporters.
Source: WiMax Reports
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