July 21, 2000
Web posted at: 1:44 a.m. EDT (0544 GMT)

WASHINGTON -- In a setback for GOP leaders, the House of Representatives has voted to ease the 38-year-old U.S. trade embargo against Cuba, by voting to lift limits against U.S. food and drug sales and allowing Americans to travel freely there.

It was a major victory for farm, business and other groups trying to ease the sanctions and a blow to Republican leaders, who oppose easing the embargo.

After supporters argued that increased contacts would help weaken Castro's hold over the Communist nation, Congress voted 232-186 to stop enforcing rules that limit the ability of Americans to travel to Cuba.

It then voted 301-116 to halt enforcement of rules banning exports of U.S. food and rules limiting sales of American medicines.

But the House voted 241-174 to reject a broader proposal from Rep. Charles Ranger, D-New York, that would have ended almost all embargoes against trade with Cuba.

Vote could strengthen farm lawmakers' position

These votes seem certain to strengthen the position of Rep. George Nethercutt, R-Washington, leader of the farm-state lawmakers who earlier this year tried to lift the food and medicine embargo against Cuba, but hit opposition from GOP leaders.

Both sides agreed to a compromise last month that Republican leaders promised to try making into law. The Thursday votes seem to have increased pressure on leaders to make sure that, at the very least, the compromise finds its way into law.

Anti-Castro legislators said his regime would be propped up by allowing Cuba to get more trade and tourists.

Re. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R, Florida, said the revenue Cuba would gain from easing restrictions would help "the worst violator of human rights in all of the Western Hemisphere."

House Majority Whip Tom Delay, R, Texas, said, "Where's your compassion" for the Cubans and Americans Castro has killed.

Cuban freedom helped by new provisions, say sponsors

Sponsors of easing the trade and travel embargoes said the result would be to accelerate the drive toward freedom in Cuba.

Rep. Mark Sanford, R, South Carolina, chief sponsor of the language easing travel restrictions, reminded the House that Ronald Reagan "allowed Americans with backpacks to travel in Eastern Europe and it did help to bring down the Berlin Wall."

Rep. Jerry Moran, R, Kansas, who admitted that lifting the food embargo would help his farm-state constituents, said, "Personal freedom follows economic freedom."

Sales of medicine to Cuba have been allowed since 1992 with certain restrictions. Under an agreement between House GOP leaders and Nethercutt, Americans could sell food and drugs to Cuba, but only if Cubans paid for them with cash or credit from a third country.

The ban on financing by the U.S. government or U.S. banks was seen by many as meaning that little trade would actually occur as a result of the agreement. That agreement would also write into law an existing ban on U.S. tourist travel to Cuba.

Senate Majority leader Trent Lott, R, Mississippi, has said he opposes the compromise but President Clinton has said he would probably sign it.

A year ago the Clinton administration allowed sales of food and drugs to Iran, Libya and Sudan but was barred from such sales to Cuba.

The provisions the House debated on Thursday were offered as amendments to a measure financing the Treasury Department and other smaller agencies in the coming fiscal year.

The Senate version of the bill has no language affecting trade with Cuba.