House approves bill with clauses that strengthen Cuba sanctions

House approves bill with clauses that strengthen Cuba sanctions

The strengthened restrictions are included in the text of a budget bill
approved last week after two amendments to remove restrictions on
agricultural exports and travel to Cuba were withdrawn by their sponsors.
NORA GÁMEZ TORRES
ngameztorres@elnuevoherald.com

The budget bill for 2017 financial services and general government
spending has been approved in the House of Representatives with several
clauses that strengthen sanctions on Cuba.

The clauses limit "people to people" exchange trips, prohibit the use of
funds for trafficking in confiscated property, restrict financial
transactions with entities tied to the Cuban military and forbid the
granting of trademark rights and intellectual property with businesses
or properties confiscated by the Cuban government.

The strengthened restrictions are included in the text of the budget
bill that was approved last week after two amendments to remove
restrictions on agricultural exports and travel to Cuba were withdrawn
by their sponsors — Representatives Rick Crawford and Mark Sanford,
respectively.

Sanford withdrew his amendment after acknowledging he did not have the
support of Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. Crawford also withdrew his
amendment but only after receiving a commitment by the House leadership
representatives from Florida to start looking for a long-term solution
to remove restrictions on cash payments for the purchase of U.S.
agricultural products.

"I've gotten commitments from leadership and my friends from Florida
that there will be a proper path forward," Crawford said during the
plenary session.

Meanwhile, Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart confirmed that agreement
was reached with Crawford "...to come up with a solution that meets the
needs of our farmers ... but that does not jeopardize our national
security or support the Castro regime, its military or its intelligence
services."

Diaz-Balart refuted reports that Crawford's amendment had enough support
to pass.

"Once again, the groups allied with the interests of the Cuban
dictatorship who for years have been saying that there is no support for
sanctions, have been unmasked in the House's floor," he said.

Following the announcement of the agreement, the organization Engage
Cuba, which lobbies to lift the embargo, had issued a statement claiming
that "the momentum for changing our Cuba policies has shifted, and even
the most outspoken opponents of lifting theCuban embargo have realized
that their position is no longer tenable."

Diaz-Balart refuted that claim: "There is bipartisan support in the
House to strengthen sanctions against the regime and reject the policy
of appeasement of the dictatorship," he said, adding that the passage of
the budget bill "contains multiple clauses to strengthen sanctions."

Source: House approves bill with clauses that strengthen Cuba sanctions
| In Cuba Today - http://www.incubatoday.com/news/article89174412.html