DeLauro Welcomes Obama Administration’s Lifting of Cuban-American Travel Restrictions

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (Conn. -3) issued the following statement following President Obama's announcement that his Administration will lift all restrictions on travel and remittances by Cuban-Americans to family in Cuba, as well as ease other restrictions on the island nation. The policy shift marks the first time since 1982 that Cuban-Americans will be free to travel without restrictions between the United States and Cuba. Under the Bush Administration, since 2004, only immediate family members were allowed to visit their relatives in Cuba once every three years.

"I strongly support President Obama's decision to allow unrestricted travel and remittances by Cuban-Americans to their relatives in Cuba. After years of a misguided tightening of restrictions under the Bush Administration, these changes will improve our ability to help the Cuban people bring democracy to their nation. Moreover, coming on the eve of the Summit of Americas, the announcement is a clear indication to Cuba and all of the nations of the Western Hemisphere that the United States is serious about not only changing a decades-old policy toward Cuba that has clearly failed, but also about seeking greater engagement with the world in an effort to find common ground to address the challenges we face together."

"While this is an important step, I believe it should only represent the beginning of a larger effort to chart a new course in our relationship with Cuba. I have long fought and will continue to advocate for the lifting of restrictions on U.S. agricultural sales to Cuba imposed by the Bush Administration. In addition, I will continue to work to pass the bipartisan and broadly supported Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act -- legislation that would end the current ban on travel by Americans to Cuba. Such steps would allow Americans to bring an idea of freedom to Cuba that is very hard to ignore while opening up a powerful source of economic growth for the people of both the United States and Cuba."

Representative DeLauro is an original co-sponsor of the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act (H.R. 874), which now has over 120 Bipartisan co-sponsors. The legislation would end the current ban on travel by Americans to Cuba. At present the US government allows Americans to travel almost anywhere in the world, except Cuba.