Strong bipartisan support for ending the travel restrictions has held firm in both the House and Senate—despite Bush Administration efforts to mislabel Cuba as a security or proliferation threat, and despite the heavy criticism of Cuba from Congress over the recent detention and sentencing of more than 75 dissidents and the summary executions of three ferryboat hijackers. U.S. policy is still wrong and ineffective.

Amendments to end funding for enforcement of the travel ban will again be offered in the House and Senate. The Flake amendment in the House will be introduced to the Transportation-Treasury Appropriations bill in early September. Call your representative now to urge her/him to vote for this amendment to allow Americans the right of unrestricted travel to Cuba. Call (202.546.7010) or email ( ) us for your representative’s voting record and phone number, OR call to US Capitol switchboard (202) 224-3121 to be connected directly to your member’s office. Similar action in the Senate is expected this fall. Now is also the time to call your two senators to request their support for ending the travel ban.

Companion bills in the House and Senate, HR 2071 and S 950, have been introduced; these bills would end the ban on travel to Cuba. Both bills continue to collect cosponsors; as of August 1, 2003, the House bill stands at 66 cosponsors and the Senate bill at 27. You may search the Library of Congress' Thomas website, http://thomas.loc.gov/, using the bill numbers, and then looking under “Bill Summary and Status File”, to view a list of the cosponsors. If your representative or senators are not cosponsors of these bills, please urge them to cosponsor.

What Can You Do?

1) Call your senators and representative as soon as possible with this message: “As a constituent, I urge you to co-sponsor and/or vote for the (Senate) Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act of 2003, S. 950; or the (House) Export Freedom to Cuba Act of 2003, HR 2071. And I ask that you vote for Transportation-Treasury Appropriations amendments that would cut off funding for enforcement of the travel ban. These initiatives would return to the US people their constitutional right to unrestricted travel to Cuba. Now more than ever, broadening contact between our two peoples is the best way to build a more constructive and coherent policy.” You may contact your members of Congress’ Washington, DC, office by calling the US Capitol switchboard at 202.224.3121 and asking to be transferred to the specific office.

2) If you haven’t already done so, sign the travel petition to President Bush (and recruit others to sign it) found at www.cubacentral.com. This petition will be used by both the House and Senate to support their efforts to pass legislation by demonstrating the breadth of citizen support for ending the travel ban to Cuba.

3) During the month of August, members of Congress are in their state or district offices. Gather a small group and make an appointment to speak directly with your member of Congress; don’t accept a staff meeting. Communicate the message above; call us for more detailed talking points and a review of your members’ voting records on Cuba policy.

4) For monthly emailed Cuba policy updates/action alerts, click here.