Yesterday saw the introduction of a bill to lift the Cuban Embargo in the Senate. The bipartisan bill, S 491 was read into the record by sponsor Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnestoa) and is entitled, “Freedom to Export to Cuba Act.” If passed it would remove the legal barriers that prohibit Americans from doing business in Cuba.
The bill how will not eliminate the human rights laws that are contained in the Helms-Burton Act that passed in 1996. That law can only be removed by Congress and only if Cuba meets certain criteria that includes free and fair elections, releasing of political prisoners and the freedom of speech.
There are now two currently active bills with one in the Senate and one in the House. Wether or not these bills actually make it to a vote remains to be seen. But for now S. 491 is headed to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
