Action Alerts

Send Obama a message

The LAWG and our supporters have always advocated for exchange between U.S. citizens and the Cuban people through the arts and culture, academic and student travel, religious/humanitarian groups, sports, and other people-to-people exchanges. At this critical moment, we are calling on everyone across the United States who supports increasing people-to-people contact between Cuba and the United States to join this advocacy campaign directed at the White House!

We expect you have been pondering the impact of the recent elections on the work we have been doing together to end the travel ban on Cuba and move our two countries toward a respectful, humane relationship. We have been doing the same, and we want to share some thoughts with you.

The electoral outcome has left us, as they say, “Close, but no cigar.”  (We could skip the cigar  . . .  although a mojito, maybe two, could help after working so hard these past couple of years.)

On Tuesday, September 28 the much-awaited mark-up and vote on HR 4645 in the House Committee on Foreign Affairs was postponed. Here is the statement from Chairman Howard Berman, upon announcing the postponement:

We've been doing everything we can--pulling out all the stops, as they say--to restore U.S. citizens' freedom to travel to Cuba. That's why we've come to you time and time again (and time and time again), asking you to make one more email or one more phone call to your congressperson; but we've also been mobilizing new advocates and as-of-yet untapped networks throughout the country to give us the best chance of getting the job done this year, in this Congress.

It's not every day that we get to write you about a historic legislative victory for a more humane, sensible, and just U.S. policy towards Cuba; but today isn't just any old day. In a thrilling "mark-up" session Wednesday in the House Committee on Agriculture, H.R. 4645, the Travel Restriction Reform and Export Enhancement Act was passed by 25 votes to 20, putting us one step closer to ending the travel ban this year, in this Congress.

Freedom to travel's moment has arrived. Tomorrow, Wednesday, June 30, the House Agriculture Committee will vote on H.R. 4645, the Travel Restriction Reform and Export Enhancement Act, championed by Ag Committee Chairman Collin Peterson. What happens Wednesday will determine if this landmark legislation--which restores U.S. citizens' right to travel to Cuba, creates jobs here at home, and puts food on Cubans' tables--sees the light of day on the House floor this summer or dies in committee.

We're back! We're sorry for the recent radio silence for some of you; but we've been putting all of our time, energy, and wits into wringing every possible YES vote for H.R. 4645, the Travel Restriction Reform and Export Enhancement Act, out of the House Committee on Agriculture. Our recent alerts have been directed to those of you who live in districts with members "on the fence." But now is the time for ALL of us to activate.

Today in Washington, Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN), Congressman Jerry Moran (R-KS), and at least 31 of their House colleagues introduced new legislation (HR 4645) that would put the United States and Cuba firmly on a path towards engagement by (finally) restoring U.S. citizens' right to travel to Cuba and facilitating needed U.S. agricultural sales to the island that were initially approved by Congress in 2000.

Urge Obama to Take Decisive Action: Give the Nod to Congress and End the Travel Ban

The United Nations has voted (187-3) again to condemn the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba.  For the 18th consecutive year, the General Assembly passed this resolution with nearly universal support.  Such an unpopular policy surely deserves a second look; it deserves to be stopped.  And the time is NOW.