New Cuba travel regulations contrary to
Congressional intent, says TSRA sponsor

July 15, 2003
U.S. Rep. George R. Nethercutt Jr.

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. George R. Nethercutt Jr. (R-Wash.) issued the following statement at the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Forum:

"I am unable to appear before the conference because the Appropriations Committee is considering two measures in Full Committee this morning. I commend this group for addressing the important issue of expanding opportunities for Americans to travel to Cuba.

"I have some experience with Cuba travel regulations. In 2000, I sponsored the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act (TSRA), which when signed into law, opened the market to private sales of agricultural commodities. To date, American farmers have sold nearly $200 million in food to Cuba, made possible by the change in law.

"But as we negotiated the TSRA compromise, we reluctantly agreed to accept a codification of existing categories of travel authorized in regulation. In exchange for the opportunity to open the Cuban market, and develop commercial relationships with the country, we agreed to the demands of opponents to block any further liberalization of travel regulations. The final bill signed by the President codified the twelve existing categories of travel and added a thirteenth, related to commercial sales of agricultural commodities.

"Note, I said we agreed to block any further liberalization of travel laws -- we drew the line at the thirteen categories and agreed to go no further. Codification eliminated the flexibility of regulators to make further changes to the travel regulations. In effect, both sides in the negotiations agreed to postpone further discussion of travel until we learned the consequences of lifting agricultural sanctions on Cuba, locking in the very limited categories of travel permitted at that point in time.

"The interim final rule published on March 24, 2003 reverses the intention of Congress to hold the line at the status quo. The new regulation eliminates the people-to-people category, reducing to twelve the permissible categories of travel.

"The vulnerability of travel regulations to the vagaries of regulator opinion demonstrates persuasively why once and for all we need to take the power to restrict the free travel of Americans out of the hands of bureaucrats."

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