Post #446803 by christiki295 on Mon, Apr 13, 2009 4:38 PM

A bill has been introduced in the US Senate to allow all Americans to travel to Cuba.

Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Richard Lugar (R-IN) came together in support of the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act (S. 428) yesterday. It was introduced earlier this year.

According to a press release, the bill would “eliminate travel restrictions” to Cuba and “allow Americans to travel there freely without U.S. government interference.”

S.428 appears to be in the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

One blogger writes:
This is certainly not the first time the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act (H.R. 874/S. 428) has been introduced, but there is reason to hope this year it may pass. This Act would prohibit the President from restricting travel to Cuba unless there is a war or it is a matter of public health or safety. Passage would be beneficial for Cuba partially because of the expected influx of American tourists, but Cubans would also have access to more American imports. Cuban Americans will benefit because current policy restricts the frequency of trips to Cuba, as well as the amount of money that they can spend there. The United States will benefit because this bill also addresses business travel restrictions, and it will become easier to sell American products in Cuba.