Organizational Calls to End the Travel Ban

Recently many organizations have called for an End to the Travel Ban, either completely or partially. 

Cuban Americans

• The Cuba Study Group (PDF)

• ENCASA/US-Cuba (PDF)

• Letter from Miriam Leiva and Oscar Espinosa Chepe (PDF)
• Cuban-American Sign On Letter (PDF)

Business/Agricultural Community

•  American Farm Bureau Federation, Bob Stallman, President (PDF)
• U.S Chamber of Commerce (PDF)
• Joint Letter to President Obama on 01-21-09 (PDF)
  American Farm Bureau Federation, American Meat Institute, American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Barley Growers Association, National Chicken Council, National Corn Growers Association, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, National Milk Producers Federation, National Oilseed Processors Association, National Sorghum Producers, National Turkey Federation, North American Export Grain Association, North American Millers Association, Northarvest Bean Growers Association, USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council, USA Rice Federation, U.S. Dairy Export Council, U.S. Grains Council, U.S. Rice Producers Association, U.S. Wheat Associates
  

• USA*Engage and signers (PDF)

  American Farm Bureau Federation, American Society of Travel Agents, Business Roundtable, Coalition for Employment through Exports, Emergency Committee for American Trade, Grocery Manufacturers Association, National Foreign Trade Council, National Retail Federation, Organization for International Investment,  U.S. Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Council for International Relations, USA *Engage
• National Association of Wheat Growers, U.S. Wheat Associates (PDF)
• USA Rice Federation (PDF)
• The National Tour Association (PDF)
• The Port of Corpus Christi, TX (PDF)
• The U.S. Dairy Export Council and the National Milk Producers Federation (PDF)

Human Rights and Policy Organizations

• Amnesty International (PDF)

• Freedom House (PDF)
• Human Rights Watch (PDF)

• Brookings Institute (PDF)

• Washington Office on Latin America (PDF)
• Latin America Working Group (PDF)
• Center for Democracy in the Americas (PDF)

• TransAfrica Forum (PDF)

• Council on Foreign Relations (PDF)

• NGO Sign on (PDF)

Religious and Ecumenical Organizations

• National Council of Churches USA (PDF)

• Church World Service and denominations (PDF)

  Church World Service, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), The Episcopal Church, Church of the Brethren Witness, Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Americas, Lutheran World Relief, National Council of Churches USA, Presbyterian Church (USA), Progressive National Baptist Convention Inc, United Church of Christ, The Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society
• U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (PDF)

• NAFSA and signers (PDF)

  AASCU, American Friends Service Committee, Church World Service, Fund for Reconciliation and Development, Latin America Working Group, Latin American Studies Association, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, National Foreign Trade Council, Operation USA, Social Service Research Council, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, USA*Engage, WOLA

Cultural Organizations

• U.S.-Cuba Cultural Exchange (PDF)

Dear Member of Congress:

As representatives of religious organizations, non-governmental organizations, policy groups, farm groups and businesses, we support the right of U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba free of restrictions. We write to express our support for the House and Senate bills to lift all restrictions on travel to Cuba (H.R.2071 and S.950), as well as any amendment to the Transportation/Treasury Appropriations bill that would end funding for enforcement of travel restrictions. We also support Senator Byron Dorgan’s amendment to the Agriculture Appropriations bill that would grant a general license for trips to Cuba for any travel associated with U.S. agriculture and medical sales to Cuba. We strongly urge you to vote in favor of any amendment that would ease restrictions on travel to Cuba and to co-sponsor H.R.2071.

 

Testimony of José Miguel Vivanco

Executive Director

Americas Division

Human Rights Watch

July 15, 2003

Thank you for your invitation to discuss the human rights impact of the U.S. ban on travel to Cuba.

On behalf of Human Rights Watch, I would like to express my support for ending the travel ban. The ban, which contains narrow exceptions for journalists, people with relatives in Cuba, and certain other groups, has not served its stated purpose. It has in no way proved to be an effective tool for promoting human rights in Cuba. It has, instead, infringed the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens and limited valuable opportunities for the free exchange of ideas between Americans and Cubans.