Press Releases

In response to today’s White House announcement that President Obama will travel to Cuba next month, Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), a leading champion for modernizing U.S.-Cuba relations, released the following statement.

“President Obama’s announcement that he will travel to Cuba next month marks another strong step forward in U.S.-Cuba relations,” Congressman McGovern said. “Americans have long been ready for a 21^st century approach to Cuba and the president’s trip will build on the progress already made since he announced our new policy. With this trip, we are ready to close the book on the outdated Cold War policy that divided us for so many years and embrace the power of diplomacy. I was proud to stand with Secretary Kerry as the American flag was once again raised over the U.S. Embassy in Havana last summer and this is only the beginning.

“With our two nations working together, we can create new opportunities for American businesses, increase travel and exchange, and support efforts in Cuba to advance democratic reforms and promote human rights,” McGovern added. “In December, I joined Republicans and Democrats to launch a bipartisan working group on Cuba to advance legislation in Congress that will build on the progress we have made in the last 14 months. Today, we are once again seeing American diplomacy on display and I look forward to continuing to work with the president to move our Cuba policy forward.”

In August 2015, Congressman McGovern joined Secretary Kerry in Havana for the re-opening of the U.S. Embassy in Cuba and in December 2015, Congressman McGovern launched a bipartisan Cuba Working Group to build on the historic progress already achieved under President Obama’s new policy.

Members of the Cuba Working Group are supporters of one or more key pieces of legislation introduced in 2015, with Republicans as the lead sponsors. Taken together, these bills repeal economic and travel restrictions and would effectively eliminate the U.S. embargo on Cuba: 

• The Cuba Trade Act of 2015  would allow U.S. businesses in the private sector to trade with Cuba without restrictions;
• The Cuba Digital and Telecommunications Advancement Act (Cuba DATA Act) would allow U.S. telecommunications and internet companies to provide services to the island;
• The Cuba Agriculture Exports Act would allow for U.S. investment in privately owned Cuban agriculture businesses;
• The Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act of 2015 would allow all U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba.

Senate committees have passed significant legislation to lift the travel ban on Cuba and widen trade with bipartisan support. The House of Representatives has been more reticent to move U.S. policy forward, making this Cuba working group even more important.

Increasing trade, travel and investment in Cuba will not only open new markets and create jobs in both countries, but promote human rights and better hemispheric relations.

Public opinion polls over the past year have shown an increasing support to end the Cuban trade embargo and change course on U.S.-Cuba relations. The most recent Pew poll showed 73 percent of the American people, including 59 percent of Republicans favor ending the trade embargo. The bi-partisan Congressional Working Group will now take leadership to match the growing public support for a new U.S. policy towards Cuba.

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