|
||
House Passes Rep. Davis’ (FL) Amendment Preserving People-to-People Exchanges with Cuba WASHINGTON, DC - Tonight, by a vote of 246 to 173, the House of Representatives passed Congressman Jim Davis’ (D-FL) amendment to ensure the continuation of valuable people-to-people educational exchanges between the United States and Cuba. The amendment, offered during debate on the Transportation, Treasury and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 2989), prohibits federal funds from being used to implement the Department of Treasury’s plan to cease offering licenses for these exchanges. Davis, who traveled to Cuba in February, has voted to maintain the travel embargo on Cuba, but believes Congress must seek new alternatives to the embargo and find ways for the United States and Cuba to pursue a more positive relationship to the mutual benefit of our people. Below is Congressman Davis’ statement on the House floor: Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk. As I am sure you know, on March 24, 2003, the Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced that licenses for people-to-people educational exchanges with Cuba will no longer be issued. My amendment is very simple– it would prohibit funds in the bill from being used to implement, administer or enforce the elimination of people-to-people educational exchanges with Cuba. Having had the opportunity to visit Cuba in February of this year, I believe more than ever that we need to continue promoting purposeful travel to the island. While I have voted to maintain the embargo in the past, I believe Congress must seek new alternatives to the embargo and find ways for the United States and Cuba to pursue a more positive relationship to the mutual benefit of our people. There is no better way to promote our ideas and values than to allow everyday people the chance to travel on purposeful educational exchanges to Cuba. People-to-people educational exchanges, the second most popular travel category, is one of the cornerstones of our so called "track two" policy toward Cuba, allowing a broad range of Americans the opportunity to interact with our Cuban neighbors. This new regulation, will not only hurt Americans but will also hurt the Cuban people, the very people we are trying to support. Prior to these changes, this mutually beneficial category had been increasing at 30 percent annually, enabling a large number of academic organizations, educational institutions, religious groups, museums, non-profits and others to organize educational trips to Cuba. While some may have abused this category, we should not penalize the thousands who did not. The Cuban citizens I met are much like the Cuban Americans in the district that I represent- enormously talented, highly educated and ambitious. I would like to see more Americans meet these same people. As for U.S. policy toward Cuba, our policy clearly has not achieved its intended goal. As a result, our policy should now focus on increasing the flow of information to the island and increasing people-to-people contacts through expanded exchanges with purposeful intent. Policies like these can empower the Cuban people, the only people who can determine the future of their great country. In sum, we must continue to build bridges to Cuba not fences I urge my colleagues to support my amendment.
###
|
||
