“The Freedom to Export to Cuba Act repeals the current legal restrictions against doing business with Cuba, including the original 1961 authorization for establishing the trade embargo; subsequent laws that required enforcement of the embargo; and other restrictive statutes that prohibit transactions between US-owned or controlled firms and Cuba, and limitations on direct shipping between US and Cuban ports,” a statement from Klobuchar’s office said.
The Democratic senator from Minnesota said the 50 year embargo against Cuba has not served US interests, restricted US businesses from accessing an 11 million person market just 90 miles from the United States, and, as a result, hurts job creation in the United States.
“It’s time to the turn the page on our Cuba policy,” Klobuchar said in a statement.
Senators Mike Enzi, Debbie Stabenow, Jeff Flake, Patrick Leahy, and Dick Durbin co-sponsored the bill.
The legislation, if passed by Congress, would maintain existing laws related to human rights and property claims against the Cuban government.
The United States maintains a host of congressionally mandated sanctions against Cuba that are unaffected by an announcement in December by US President Barack Obama to normalize relations with the island. Under Obama’s actions, the United States will open an embassy in Havana, ease travel restrictions on US citizens traveling to the country, and ease certain sanctions. The president has urged Congress to pass legislation to end the embargo.
