Last year, the Administration ordered new limitations on Cuba family travel and remittances.  Under these rules, Cuban-Americans are only allowed to visit their families in Cuba once every three years for a maximum of 14 days with no exceptions, and they must apply for a specific license to make the trip.  The Administration also attempted to redefine the Cuban family by barring Cuban-Americans from visiting or sending remittances to their aunts, uncles or cousins in Cuba.  As a final insult, the rules prohibit visitors from spending more than $50 a day in Cuba and from bringing more than 44 pounds of luggage and $300 of life-sustaining remittances to their immediate family.

 

After the rules were enacted, Davis introduced legislation to reverse the regulations.  Then in September, he offered an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2005 Transportation, Treasury, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act to prohibit the Treasury Department from using funds to enforce the regulations.  Davis’ amendment passed in the House of Representatives by a vote of 225 to 174 but was not included in the final law.

 

“I have spoken to numerous Cuban-Americans whose families have been ripped apart by President Bush’s misguided regulations,” said Congressman Davis.  “Countless innocent Cubans depend on visits from their Cuban-American relatives for the delivery of food, medicine, clothing, money and moral support.  The Administration’s policies are punishing these people at a time when our country should be focused on helping Cuban families.  I hope that this year Congress will overturn these immoral rules.”  

 

Under Rep. Davis’ bill, H.R. 2617, Cuban-Americans would once again be allowed to visit their families in Cuba once a year without having to apply for a specific license, and would be permitted to apply for specific licenses for additional trips as necessary.  The bill would protect the family tree by allowing Cuban-Americans to resume visiting and sending remittances to aunts, uncles and cousins.  The per diem allowance would be returned to $167 and the Administration would be prohibited from setting a visitation limit of less than 30 days.  Finally, the bill would allow travelers to bring up to $3,000 in remittances to Cuba and would allow the airlines to set luggage weight limits.

 

Rep. Davis has consistently voted to maintain the travel embargo on Cuba, but believes Congress must find ways for the United States and Cuba to pursue a more positive relationship to the mutual benefit of our people.  He has traveled to Cuba to gain a more comprehensive picture of the economic, political and social realities in Cuba and fought to protect valuable people-to-people educational exchanges between the United States and Cuba.