Cuba travel battle looms

Use the letter at the bottom of this post to contact the committee members and support your right to travel.

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WASHINGTON - Strong majorities in the House and Senate have approved similarly worded measures to end the ban on Americans traveling to Cuba. Normally, that would ensure final passage.

But there's nothing normal about Cuba policy on Capitol Hill.

President Bush has pledged to veto any bill with such a provision, and House Republican leaders have said they will work to remove it when a conference committee of House and Senate members approves a final version of the Treasury-Transportation appropriations bill.

In a few weeks, Republican leaders say, it's likely that several spending measures will be wrapped up into one omnibus bill to fund most of the federal government for the next year. With bigger issues getting attention during the hectic end of a congressional session, that would make it even easier to drop the Cuba provision behind closed doors.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/world/cuba/7147628.htm

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Contacting Members of the Conference Committee

Action: Contact the members of the conference committee to let them know that the American people expect the Cuba travel provisions to survive the conference committee process. The Democrats on the committee must feel pressure to stand up to the Republicans and fight for these amendments. Meanwhile, the Republicans need to know that the American people are watching this conference and will raise a MAJOR fuss if they act undemocratically. IF YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS ISN'T ON THIS LIST, SOLICIT ANY FRIENDS OR FAMILY WHO LIVE IN THESE DISTRICTS/STATES TO CONTACT CONGRESS. {See website for list}


Dear ______________

For the first time, the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate have both adopted legislation to lift the ban on travel by Americans to Cuba (as part of the Treasury-Transportation Appropriations bill).

I urge you to stand up to the Congressional leadership and refuse to let them drop the Cuba travel language from the final bill that is sent by Congress to President Bush. Because the House and Senate passed identical language, dropping the language would be contravening the will and the rules of Congress.

U.S. policy of isolating Cuba, economically and diplomatically, has been a failure for decades. The ban on travel by Americans to Cuba restricts our constitutional right to travel where we wish, and it limits very important contacts and opportunities for commerce between Americans and Cubans.

I urge you to stand strong, to support freedom for Americans and Cubans, and to fight to preserve the language permitting travel by Americans to Cuba. Please report to the House and Senate members our expression of support.

Sincerely,

Name
Address

<http://www.lawg.org/pages/new%20pages/countries/Cuba/travel_calls_conf.htm>

town, and passed the local Travel Agency...They were featuring a deal on a Cuba vacation...I remember thinking at the time, I wonder how many people from Buffalo, N.Y. (not far away) will take advantage of this. There used to be a lot of Americans coming over here (to Canada) to travel to Cuba, but I imagine it has been cut back a lot, due to Bush's latest shenanigans.

W wants 10% of Homeland Security to crack down on Americans who go to Cuba, and to increase scrutiny on Cuban-Americans and other legal travelers.

This funding is what has been voted down by both the House and Senate for 4 years in a row, the last three attempts were killed in markup committees. We are still waiting to see what happens to the language in the bill, or whether it will be entirely stripped, before it goes to W to sign as part of a larger appropriations bill.

See http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=190101

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Politicians often act on political motives — that's the way the system works. Leaders don't last long if they fail to represent their constituents or respond to electoral reality.

But occasionally a politician's motives are so damaging to the public interest that even members of his own party start gagging. And that is what's happening now, as a growing number of Republicans are opposing President Bush's policy of enforcing and even strengthening the travel ban against Cuba.

...That amount could be a lot greater if sellers were free to hawk their wares in person, but at a time when America's balance of payments with the rest of the world is wildly out of whack, the White House is closing the door to a lucrative market a short boat ride away.

Then there is the misuse of scarce resources. Last month, the president directed the Office of Homeland Security to increase scrutiny of travelers and shipments crossing between America and Cuba. In other words, instead of tracking terrorists or drug traffickers, law enforcement agencies will use their limited budgets to badger American tourists and traders.

<http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/index.cfm?section=40&screen=news&news_id=27927>