State and Local Government Resolutions on Cuba

State and local governments have become involved in advocating for an end to the embargo and normal trade relations between the United States and Cuba. Recognizing that the embargo hurts U.S. interests and has done nothing to improve the situation of the Cuban people, local and state elected officials have called on the Congress and the Executive Branch to end the embargo and move toward normal relations.

These efforts bring the issue to the attention of Members of Congress and demonstrate the breadth of support for changing U.S. policy toward Cuba. The reminder that there is strong state-level support for ending the embargo motivates Members of Congress to become more active on the issue.

More than a dozen city or county councils have passed resolutions calling on the federal government and their Members of Congress to change U.S. policy toward Cuba. Some cities have gone further, establishing “Sister City” type relations with Cuban cities, as concrete expressions of their support for normal relations. These cities include Mobile, Alabama; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (For more information on city council resolutions and sister city relationships, contact the US-Cuba Sister Cities Association at http://www.uscsca.org.)

Interested in promoting trade and better relations with Cuba, state and local officials have joined delegations to Cuba, and spoken in favor of improved relations on their return. The governors of Minnesota and of Illinois have visited Cuba, as has the lieutenant governor of Kansas.

The California and Texas state legislatures overwhelmingly passed resolutions in support of normal relations between the U.S. and Cuba. (A copy of the Texas resolution and a related letter from Texas State Representative Bob Hunter follow.) In both cases, farm groups and others interested in better relations approached members of the legislature, explaining the issue and asking them to introduce resolutions in support of an end to the trade and travel embargo against Cuba. There are discussions under way in several other states about similar resolutions. If you are interested in pursuing this type of resolution in your state, please feel free to contact the Washington Office on Latin America at wola@wola.org, or (202) 797-2171, for more information.