{ "id": "R43926", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "R43926", "active": false, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 460367, "date": "2017-01-18", "retrieved": "2017-05-09T15:19:03.384166", "title": "Cuba: Issues and Actions in the 114th Congress", "summary": "Cuba remains a one-party communist state with a poor record on human rights. The country\u2019s political succession in 2006 from the long-ruling Fidel Castro to his brother Ra\u00fal was characterized by a remarkable degree of stability. In 2013, Ra\u00fal began his second and final five-year term, which is scheduled to end in February 2018, when he would be 86 years of age. Castro has implemented a number of market-oriented economic policy changes over the past several years. An April 2016 Cuban Communist Party congress endorsed the current gradual pace of Cuban economic reform. Few observers expect the government to ease its tight control over the political system. While the government has released most long-term political prisoners, short-term detentions and harassment have increased significantly over the past several years.\nU.S. Policy\nCongress has played an active role in shaping policy toward Cuba, including the enactment of legislation strengthening and at times easing various U.S. economic sanctions. U.S. policy over the years has consisted largely of isolating Cuba through economic sanctions, while a second policy component has consisted of support measures for the Cuban people, including U.S. government-sponsored broadcasting and support for human rights and democracy projects. \nIn December 2014, President Obama announced a major shift in U.S. policy toward Cuba, moving away from a sanctions-based policy toward one of engagement and a normalization of relations. The President maintained that the United States would continue to raise concerns about democracy and human rights in Cuba, but he emphasized that the United States could do more through engagement than isolation. The policy change included the restoration of diplomatic relations (July 2015); the rescission of Cuba\u2019s designation as a state sponsor of international terrorism (May 2015); and an increase in travel, commerce, and the flow of information to Cuba. In order to implement this third step, the Treasury and Commerce Departments eased the embargo regulations five times (most recently in October 2016) in such areas as travel, remittances, trade, telecommunications, and financial services. The overall embargo, however, remains in place, and can only be lifted with congressional action or if certain conditions in Cuba are met, including that a democratically elected government is in place. With the goal of advancing the normalization process, President Obama visited Cuba in March 2016, the first visit of a U.S. President to Cuba in almost 90 years. On January 12, 2017, President Obama announced a change in U.S. immigration policy by ending the special treatment for undocumented Cuban migrants entering the United States. \nLegislative Activity\nThe Obama Administration\u2019s shift in Cuba policy has spurred strong interest in Congress. Some Members lauded the initiative as in the best interest of the United States and a better way to support change in Cuba, while others criticized the President for not obtaining more concessions from Cuba to advance human rights and protect U.S. interests. In the 114th Congress, numerous legislative initiatives were introduced on both sides of the policy debate.\nIn 2015, five FY2016 House appropriations bills had Cuba provisions that would have blocked some of the Administration\u2019s policy changes and introduced new economic sanctions, and one Senate appropriations bill had provisions that would have eased certain economic sanctions. Ultimately, none of these provisions were included in the FY2016 omnibus appropriations measure, P.L. 114-113.\nIn 2016, three FY2017 House appropriations measures (Commerce, H.R. 5393; Financial Services, H.R. 5485; and Homeland Security, H.R. 5634) had provisions that would have blocked some of the Cuba policy changes, and one FY2017 Senate appropriations measure (Financial Services, S. 3067) had provisions lifting restrictions on travel and financing for agricultural exports. In addition, the Senate version of the FY2017 State Department and Foreign Operations appropriations bill, S. 3117, would have funded U.S. diplomatic facilities in Cuba and additional personnel costs and would have fully funded the $15 million request for democracy programs. In contrast, the House version of the bill, H.R. 5912, would have prohibited assistance for expanding the U.S. diplomatic presence in Cuba and provided $30 million for democracy programs. The 114th Congress did not complete action on FY2017 appropriations, but it did approve a continuing resolution (P.L. 114-254) in December 2016 funding most programs at the FY2016 level, minus an across-the-board reduction of almost 0.2% through April 28, 2017. The 115th Congress will face completing action on FY2017 appropriations. \nWith regard to the U.S. Naval Station at Guant\u00e1namo Bay, both the FY2016 and the FY2017 military construction appropriations measures, P.L. 114-113 and P.L. 114-223, have provisions prohibiting funding for the station\u2019s closure. Both the FY2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), P.L. 114-92, and the FY2017 NDAA, P.L. 114-328, also have prohibitions on funding for the closure of the U.S. Naval Station at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. P.L. 114-328 also restricts FY2017 funding for Cuba\u2019s participation in certain joint or multilateral exercises or related security conferences. (See Appendix A.) \nSeveral other bills introduced in the 114th Congress would have lifted or eased sanctions: H.R. 274, H.R. 403, and H.R. 735 (overall embargo); H.R. 634, H.R. 664, and S. 299 (travel); H.R. 635 (agricultural and medical exports and travel); S. 491 and S. 1543/H.R. 3238 (some embargo restrictions); S. 1049 (financing of agricultural sales); S. 1389/H.R. 3055 (telecommunications); H.R. 3306 (energy resources and technologies); H.R. 3687 (agricultural exports and investment); and S. 2990 (foreign carriers traveling to or from Cuba). Other bills would have increased restrictions on engagement with Cuba: S. 1388/H.R. 2466 (travel and trade); S. 1489/ H.R. 2937 (Cuban military and intelligence); and H.R. 4772 and H.R. 5728/S. 3289 (U.S. flights). For more on these on other bills and resolutions, see Appendix C.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R43926", "sha1": "ce337f16f08ca419f8d735fc46499242b41b27e4", "filename": "files/20170118_R43926_ce337f16f08ca419f8d735fc46499242b41b27e4.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R43926", "sha1": "b04e144bc828e973b110219be464313f726e2d4c", "filename": "files/20170118_R43926_b04e144bc828e973b110219be464313f726e2d4c.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4847, "name": "Latin America, Caribbean, & Canada" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 456927, "date": "2016-11-08", "retrieved": "2016-11-21T15:10:39.825556", "title": "Cuba: Issues for the 114th Congress", "summary": "Cuba remains a one-party communist state with a poor record on human rights. The country\u2019s political succession in 2006 from the long-ruling Fidel Castro to his brother Ra\u00fal was characterized by a remarkable degree of stability. In 2013, Ra\u00fal began his second and final five-year term, which is scheduled to end in February 2018, when he would be 86 years of age. Castro has implemented a number of market-oriented economic policy changes over the past several years. An April 2016 Cuban Communist Party congress endorsed the current gradual pace of Cuban economic reform. Few observers expect the government to ease its tight control over the political system. While the government has released most long-term political prisoners, short-term detentions and harassment have increased significantly over the past several years.\nU.S. Policy\nCongress has played an active role in shaping policy toward Cuba, including the enactment of legislation strengthening and at times easing various U.S. economic sanctions. U.S. policy over the years has consisted largely of isolating Cuba through economic sanctions, while a second policy component has consisted of support measures for the Cuban people, including U.S. government-sponsored broadcasting and support for human rights and democracy projects. \nIn December 2014, President Obama announced a major shift in U.S. policy toward Cuba, moving away from a sanctions-based policy toward one of engagement and a normalization of relations. The President maintained that the United States would continue to raise concerns about democracy and human rights in Cuba, but he emphasized that the United States could do more through engagement than isolation. The policy change included talks to restore diplomatic relations (relations were reestablished in July 2015); a review of Cuba\u2019s designation as a state sponsor of international terrorism (Cuba\u2019s designation was rescinded in May 2015); and an increase in travel, commerce, and the flow of information to Cuba. In order to implement this third step, the Treasury and Commerce Departments eased the embargo regulations five times (most recently in October 2016) in such areas as travel, remittances, trade, telecommunications, and financial services. The overall embargo, however, remains in place, and can only be lifted with congressional action or if certain conditions in Cuba are met, including that a democratically elected government is in place. With the goal of advancing the normalization process, President Obama visited Cuba in March 2016, the first visit of a U.S. President to Cuba in almost 90 years. \nLegislative Activity\nThe Obama Administration\u2019s shift in Cuba policy has spurred strong interest in Congress. Some Members lauded the initiative as in the best interest of the United States and a better way to support change in Cuba, while others criticized the President for not obtaining more concessions from Cuba to advance human rights and protect U.S. interests. In the 114th Congress, numerous legislative initiatives have been introduced on both sides of the policy debate.\nIn 2015, five FY2016 House appropriations bills had Cuba provisions that would have blocked some of the Administration\u2019s policy changes and introduced new economic sanctions, and one Senate appropriations bill had provisions that would have eased certain economic sanctions. (See Appendix B.) Ultimately, none of these provisions were included in the FY2016 omnibus appropriations measure, P.L. 114-113. (See Appendix A.)\nIn 2016, three FY2017 House appropriations measures (Commerce, H.R. 5393; Financial Services, H.R. 5485; and Homeland Security, H.R. 5634) have provisions that would block some of the Cuba policy changes, and one FY2017 Senate appropriations measure (Financial Services, S. 3067) has provisions lifting certain sanctions, including restrictions on travel and financing for agricultural exports. In addition, the Senate version of the FY2017 State Department and Foreign Operations appropriations bill, S. 3117, would fund U.S. diplomatic facilities in Cuba and additional personnel costs and would fully fund the $15 million request for democracy programs. In contrast, the House version of the bill, H.R. 5912, would prohibit assistance for expanding the U.S. diplomatic presence in Cuba and provide $30 million for democracy programs.\nWith regard to the U.S. Naval Station at Guant\u00e1namo Bay, both the FY2016 and the FY2017 military construction appropriations measures, P.L. 114-113 and P.L. 114-223, have provisions prohibiting funding for the station\u2019s closure. Both the House and Senate versions of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2017, H.R. 4909/S. 2943, have provisions prohibiting FY2017 funding for the station\u2019s closure and provisions restricting U.S. military interaction with the Cuban military. H.R. 4909 also has a provision preventing the return of the naval station to Cuba without congressional action (identical to H.R. 4678, reported in April 2016). For details on legislative action in 2016, see Appendix C.\nSeveral other bills introduced in the 114th Congress would lift or ease sanctions: H.R. 274, H.R. 403, and H.R. 735 (overall embargo); H.R. 634, H.R. 664, and S. 299 (travel); H.R. 635 (agricultural and medical exports and travel); S. 491 and S. 1543/H.R. 3238 (some embargo restrictions); S. 1049 (financing of agricultural sales); S. 1389/H.R. 3055 (telecommunications); H.R. 3306 (energy resources and technologies); H.R. 3687 (agricultural exports and investment); and S. 2990 (foreign carriers traveling to or from Cuba). Other bills would increase restrictions on engagement with Cuba: S. 1388/H.R. 2466 (travel and trade); S. 1489/ H.R. 2937 (Cuban military and intelligence); and H.R. 4772 and H.R. 5728/S. 3289 (U.S. flights). For more on these on other bills and resolutions, see Appendix D.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R43926", "sha1": "e8d12ed0febc0ccb30cb9cec29c75c0ccfd5aa6e", "filename": "files/20161108_R43926_e8d12ed0febc0ccb30cb9cec29c75c0ccfd5aa6e.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R43926", "sha1": "2e3b1d26f12a08908a3c23f64232a7a73726c2a0", "filename": "files/20161108_R43926_2e3b1d26f12a08908a3c23f64232a7a73726c2a0.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4847, "name": "Latin America, Caribbean, & Canada" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 454800, "date": "2016-08-01", "retrieved": "2016-09-09T19:05:28.045852", "title": "Cuba: Issues for the 114th Congress", "summary": "Cuba remains a one-party communist state with a poor record on human rights. The country\u2019s political succession in 2006 from the long-ruling Fidel Castro to his brother Ra\u00fal was characterized by a remarkable degree of stability. In 2013, Ra\u00fal began his second and final five-year term, which is scheduled to end in February 2018, when he would be 86 years of age. Castro has implemented a number of market-oriented economic policy changes over the past several years. An April 2016 Cuban Communist Party congress endorsed the current gradual pace of Cuban economic reform. Few observers expect the government to ease its tight control over the political system. While the government has released most long-term political prisoners, short-term detentions and harassment have increased significantly over the past several years.\nU.S. Policy\nCongress has played an active role in shaping policy toward Cuba, including the enactment of legislation strengthening and at times easing various U.S. economic sanctions. U.S. policy over the years has consisted largely of isolating Cuba through economic sanctions, while a second policy component has consisted of support measures for the Cuban people, including U.S. government-sponsored broadcasting and support for human rights and democracy projects. \nIn December 2014, President Obama announced a major shift in U.S. policy toward Cuba, moving away from a sanctions-based policy toward one of engagement and a normalization of relations. The President maintained that the United States would continue to raise concerns about democracy and human rights in Cuba, but he emphasized that the United States could do more through engagement than isolation. The policy change included talks to restore diplomatic relations (relations were reestablished in July 2015); a review of Cuba\u2019s designation as a state sponsor of international terrorism (Cuba\u2019s designation was rescinded in May 2015); and an increase in travel, commerce, and the flow of information to Cuba. In order to implement this third step, the Treasury and Commerce Departments eased the embargo regulations four times (most recently in March 2016) in such areas as travel, remittances, trade, telecommunications, and financial services. The overall embargo, however, remains in place, and can only be lifted with congressional action or if certain conditions in Cuba are met, including that a democratically elected government is in place. With the goal of advancing the normalization process, President Obama visited Cuba in March 2016, the first visit of a U.S. President to Cuba in almost 90 years. \nLegislative Activity\nThe Obama Administration\u2019s shift in Cuba policy has spurred strong interest in Congress. Some Members lauded the initiative as in the best interest of the United States and a better way to support change in Cuba, while others criticized the President for not obtaining more concessions from Cuba to advance human rights and protect U.S. interests. In the 114th Congress, numerous legislative initiatives have been introduced on both sides of the policy debate.\nIn 2015, five FY2016 House appropriations bills had Cuba provisions that would have blocked some of the Administration\u2019s policy changes and introduced new economic sanctions, and one Senate appropriations bill had provisions that would have eased certain economic sanctions. (See Appendix B.) Ultimately, none of these provisions were included in the FY2016 omnibus appropriations measure, P.L. 114-113. (See Appendix A.)\nTo date in 2016, two FY2017 House appropriations measures (Commerce, H.R. 5393, and Financial Services, H.R. 5485) have provisions that would block some of the Cuba policy changes, and one FY2017 Senate appropriations measure (Financial Services, S. 3067) has provisions lifting certain sanctions, including restrictions on travel and financing for agricultural exports. In addition, the Senate version of the FY2017 State Department and Foreign Operations appropriations bill, S. 3117, would fund U.S. diplomatic facilities in Cuba and additional personnel costs and would fully fund the $15 million request for democracy programs. In contrast, the House version of the bill, H.R. 5912, would prohibit assistance for expanding the U.S. diplomatic presence in Cuba and provide $30 million for democracy programs.\nWith regard to the U.S. Naval Station at Guant\u00e1namo Bay, the FY2017 House and Senate military construction appropriations bills, H.R. 4974/H.R. 2577, and the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2017, H.R. 4909/S. 2943, have provisions prohibiting FY2017 funding for the station\u2019s closure. H.R. 4909/ S. 2943 also have provisions restricting U.S. military interaction with the Cuban military. In addition, H.R. 4909 has a provision preventing the return of the naval station to Cuba without congressional action (identical to H.R. 4678, reported in April 2016). For details on legislative action in 2016, see Appendix C.\nSeveral other bills introduced in the 114th Congress would lift or ease sanctions: H.R. 274, H.R. 403, and H.R. 735 (overall embargo); H.R. 634, H.R. 664, and S. 299 (travel); H.R. 635 (agricultural and medical exports and travel); S. 491 and S. 1543/H.R. 3238 (some embargo restrictions); S. 1049 (financing of agricultural sales); S. 1389/H.R. 3055 (telecommunications); H.R. 3306 (energy resources and technologies); H.R. 3687 (agricultural exports and investment); and S. 2990 (foreign carriers traveling to or from Cuba). Other bills would increase restrictions on engagement with Cuba: S. 1388/H.R. 2466 (travel and trade); S. 1489/ H.R. 2937 (Cuban military and intelligence); and H.R. 4772 and H.R. 5728 (U.S. flights). For more on these on other bills and resolutions, see Appendix D.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R43926", "sha1": "3c1c0db93e5b605d16de4f11bcc71b139a41bfbf", "filename": "files/20160801_R43926_3c1c0db93e5b605d16de4f11bcc71b139a41bfbf.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R43926", "sha1": "fd7fab4503448e1a462711b0c2a18f6d4d0f7b9b", "filename": "files/20160801_R43926_fd7fab4503448e1a462711b0c2a18f6d4d0f7b9b.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 281, "name": "Latin America and the Caribbean" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc944703/", "id": "R43926_2016Jun30", "date": "2016-06-30", "retrieved": "2017-01-15T21:55:28", "title": "Cuba: Issues for the 114th Congress", "summary": "This report is divided into three major sections analyzing Cuba's political and economic environment, U.S. policy, and selected issues in U.S.-Cuban relations. Legislative initiatives in the 114th Congress are noted throughout the report, and four appendixes provide a listing of enacted measures, bills receiving some action in 2015, bills seeing action in 2016, and additional bills and resolution this Congress.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20160630_R43926_992d1f46af37725d90cfe096d99252ce63182a86.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20160630_R43926_992d1f46af37725d90cfe096d99252ce63182a86.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Cuba", "name": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Cuba" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Sanctions (International law)", "name": "Sanctions (International law)" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "International affairs", "name": "International affairs" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 453518, "date": "2016-06-20", "retrieved": "2016-06-21T20:58:01.416819", "title": "Cuba: Issues for the 114th Congress", "summary": "Cuba remains a one-party communist state with a poor record on human rights. The country\u2019s political succession in 2006 from the long-ruling Fidel Castro to his brother Ra\u00fal was characterized by a remarkable degree of stability. In 2013, Ra\u00fal began his second and final five-year term, which is scheduled to end in February 2018, when he would be 86 years of age. Castro has implemented a number of market-oriented economic policy changes over the past several years. An April 2016 Cuban Communist Party congress endorsed the current gradual pace of Cuban economic reform. Few observers expect the government to ease its tight control over the political system. While the government has released most long-term political prisoners, short-term detentions and harassment have increased significantly over the past several years, reflecting a change of tactics in repressing dissent.\nU.S. Policy\nCongress has played an active role in shaping policy toward Cuba, including the enactment of legislation strengthening and at times easing various U.S. economic sanctions. U.S. policy over the years has consisted largely of isolating Cuba through economic sanctions, while a second policy component has consisted of support measures for the Cuban people, including U.S. government-sponsored broadcasting and support for human rights and democracy projects. \nIn December 2014, President Obama announced a major shift in U.S. policy toward Cuba, moving away from a sanctions-based policy toward one of engagement and a normalization of relations. The President maintained that the United States would continue to raise concerns about democracy and human rights in Cuba, but he emphasized that the United States could do more through engagement than isolation. The policy change included talks to restore diplomatic relations (relations were reestablished in July 2015); a review of Cuba\u2019s designation as a state sponsor of international terrorism (Cuba\u2019s designation was rescinded in May 2015); and an increase in travel, commerce, and the flow of information to Cuba. In order to implement this third step, the Treasury and Commerce Departments eased the embargo regulations four times (most recently in March 2016) in such areas as travel, remittances, trade, telecommunications, and financial services. The overall embargo, however, remains in place, and can only be lifted with congressional action or if certain conditions in Cuba are met, including that a democratically elected government is in place. With the goal of advancing the normalization process, President Obama visited Cuba in March 2016, the first visit of a U.S. President to Cuba in almost 90 years. \nLegislative Activity\nThe Obama Administration\u2019s shift in Cuba policy has spurred strong interest in Congress. Some Members lauded the initiative as in the best interest of the United States and a better way to support change in Cuba, while others criticized the President for not obtaining more concessions from Cuba to advance human rights and protect U.S. interests. In the 114th Congress, numerous legislative initiatives have been introduced on both sides of the policy debate.\nIn 2015, several FY2016 House appropriations bills\u2014H.R. 2577, H.R. 2578, H.R. 2772, H.R. 2995, and H.R. 3128\u2014had Cuba provisions that would have blocked some of the Administration\u2019s policy changes and introduced new economic sanctions. In contrast, a Senate appropriations bill, S. 1910, had provisions that would have eased sanctions on agricultural exports, travel, and shipping. (See Appendix B.) Ultimately, none of these provisions were included in the FY2016 omnibus appropriations measure, P.L. 114-113. That measure funds Cuba democracy programs and Cuba broadcasting, includes provisions regarding U.S. diplomatic facilities in Cuba (similar to provisions in S. 1705/H.R. 4127), and prohibits FY2016 funding for the closure of the U.S. Naval Station at Guant\u00e1namo Bay, similar to the FY2016 defense authorization measure, P.L. 114-92. (See Appendix A.)\nTo date in 2016, two FY2017 House appropriations measures (Commerce, H.R. 5393, and Financial Services, H.R. 5485) have provisions that would block some of the Cuba policy changes and introduce new sanctions, and one FY2017 Senate appropriations measure (Financial Services, S. 3067) has provisions lifting certain sanctions, including restrictions on travel and financing for agricultural exports. With regard to the U.S. Naval Station, the FY2017 House and Senate military construction appropriations bills, H.R. 4974/H.R. 2577, and the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2017, H.R. 4909/S. 2943, have provisions prohibiting FY2017 funding for the station\u2019s closure. H.R. 4909/ S. 2943 also have provisions restricting U.S. military interaction with the Cuban military. In addition, H.R. 4909 has a provision preventing the return of the naval station to Cuba without congressional action (identical to H.R. 4678, reported out of the Foreign Affairs Committee in April). (See Appendix C.)\nSeveral other bills introduced in the 114th Congress would lift or ease sanctions: H.R. 274, H.R. 403, and H.R. 735 (overall embargo); H.R. 634, H.R. 664, and S. 299 (travel); H.R. 635 (agricultural and medical exports and travel); S. 491 and S. 1543/H.R. 3238 (some embargo restrictions); S. 1049 (financing of agricultural sales); S. 1389/H.R. 3055 (telecommunications); H.R. 3306 (energy resources and technologies); H.R. 3687 (agricultural exports and investment); and S. 2990 (foreign carriers traveling to or from Cuba). Other bills would increase restrictions on engagement with Cuba: S. 1388/H.R. 2466 (travel and trade); S. 1489/ H.R. 2937 (Cuban military and intelligence); and H.R. 4772 (flights). For more on these on other bills and resolutions, see Appendix D.)", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R43926", "sha1": "c34d349553f5a769631b24df45dd929329332ec2", "filename": "files/20160620_R43926_c34d349553f5a769631b24df45dd929329332ec2.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R43926", "sha1": "3eb6e3b9cdedd9b239968a1df827904885a4eeac", "filename": "files/20160620_R43926_3eb6e3b9cdedd9b239968a1df827904885a4eeac.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 281, "name": "Latin America and the Caribbean" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc855736/", "id": "R43926_2016May25", "date": "2016-05-25", "retrieved": "2016-08-07T13:31:21", "title": "Cuba: Issues for the 114th Congress", "summary": "This report is divided into three major sections analyzing Cuba's political and economic environment, U.S. policy, and selected issues in U.S.-Cuban relations.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20160525_R43926_250884746232d6a103d3f62025888683099d4efd.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20160525_R43926_250884746232d6a103d3f62025888683099d4efd.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Cuba", "name": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Cuba" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Sanctions (International law)", "name": "Sanctions (International law)" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "International affairs", "name": "International affairs" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 452253, "date": "2016-04-28", "retrieved": "2016-05-24T19:15:29.883941", "title": "Cuba: Issues for the 114th Congress", "summary": "Cuba remains a one-party communist state with a poor record on human rights. The country\u2019s political succession in 2006 from the long-ruling Fidel Castro to his brother Ra\u00fal was characterized by a remarkable degree of stability. In 2013, Ra\u00fal began his second and final five-year term, which is scheduled to end in February 2018, when he would be 86 years of age. Castro has implemented a number of market-oriented economic policy changes over the past several years. An April 16-19, 2016, Cuban Communist Party congress did not unveil new economic policy changes and appeared to endorse the current gradual pace of Cuban economic reform. Few observers expect the government to ease its tight control over the political system. While the government has released most long-term political prisoners, short-term detentions and harassment have increased significantly over the past several years, reflecting a change of tactics in repressing dissent.\nU.S. Policy\nCongress has played an active role in shaping policy toward Cuba, including the enactment of legislation strengthening and at times easing various U.S. economic sanctions. U.S. policy over the years has consisted largely of isolating Cuba through economic sanctions, while a second policy component has consisted of support measures for the Cuban people, including U.S. government-sponsored broadcasting and support for human rights and democracy projects. \nIn December 2014, President Obama announced a major shift in U.S. policy toward Cuba, moving away from a sanctions-based policy toward one of engagement and a normalization of relations. The President maintained that the United States would continue to raise concerns about democracy and human rights in Cuba, but he emphasized that the United States could do more through engagement than isolation. The policy change included talks to restore diplomatic relations (relations were reestablished on July 20, 2015); a review of Cuba\u2019s designation as a state sponsor of international terrorism (Cuba\u2019s designation was rescinded on May 29, 2015); and an increase in travel, commerce, and the flow of information to Cuba. In order to implement this third step, the Treasury and Commerce Departments eased the embargo regulations four times (January and September 2015 and January and March 2016) in such areas as travel, remittances, trade, telecommunications, and financial services. The overall embargo, however, remains in place, and can only be lifted with congressional action or if certain conditions in Cuba are met, including that a democratically elected government is in place. With the goal of advancing the normalization process, President Obama visited Cuba on March 20-22, 2016, the first visit of a U.S. President to Cuba in almost 90 years. \nLegislative Activity\nThe Obama Administration\u2019s shift in Cuba policy has spurred strong interest in Congress. Some Members lauded the initiative as in the best interest of the United States and a better way to support change in Cuba, while others criticized the President for not obtaining more concessions from Cuba to advance human rights and protect U.S. interests. In the 114th Congress, several hearings have been held, and numerous legislative initiatives have been introduced. \nNumerous bills would lift or ease sanctions: H.R. 274, H.R. 403, and H.R. 735 (overall embargo and other economic restrictions); H.R. 634, H.R. 664, and S. 299 (travel restrictions); H.R. 635 (agricultural and medical exports and travel); S. 491 and S. 1543/H.R. 3238 (certain embargo restrictions); S. 1049 (financing of agricultural sales); S. 1389/H.R. 3055 (telecommunications); H.R. 3306 (energy resources and technologies); and H.R. 3687 (agricultural exports and investment). Other bills would increase restrictions on engagement with Cuba: S. 1388 and H.R. 2466 would require a plan for resolving U.S. property claims before restrictions on travel and trade could be eased; S. 1489 and H.R. 2937 would prohibit financial transactions with the Cuban military and interior ministries, associated entities, and senior members; H.R. 4772 would prohibit funding for commercial flight plans until Cuba extradites U.S. fugitives from justice in Cuba.\nRegarding action on FY2016 appropriations measures, the Senate version of the FY2016 Financial Services appropriations bill, S. 1910, had three Cuba provisions that would have eased sanctions on Cuba related to agricultural exports, travel, and shipping. In contrast, five FY2016 House appropriations bills\u2014H.R. 2577, H.R. 2578, H.R. 2772, H.R. 2995, and H.R. 3128\u2014had Cuba provisions that would have blocked some of the Administration\u2019s policy changes and introduced new economic sanctions. Ultimately, none of these provisions were included in the FY2016 omnibus appropriations measure, P.L. 114-113. The omnibus, however, funds Cuba democracy programs and Cuba broadcasting, has provisions regarding U.S. diplomatic facilities in Cuba (similar to provisions in S. 1705/H.R. 4127), and prohibits FY2016 funding for the closure of the U.S. Naval Station at Guant\u00e1namo Bay (similar to the FY2016 defense authorization measure, P.L. 114-92). For FY2017, the House and Senate versions of the Military Construction appropriation measure, H.R. 4974/S. 2806, have provisions prohibiting funding for the closure of the naval station. \nAmong other bills, H.R. 570 would cease Radio and TV Mart\u00ed broadcasting; H.R. 738 would allow Cuban nationals to play professional baseball in the United States; H.Res. 181 would call for the extradition of U.S. fugitives; H.R. 1782, among other measures, would express the sense of Congress that U.S.-Cuban relations should not change until the Cuban government ceases human rights violations; and S. 1999 would authorize certain oil spill prevention and response measures. On migration, H.R. 3818 would repeal the Cuban Adjustment Act; H.R. 4247/S. 2441 would make certain Cubans ineligible to receive refugee/parolee assistance; and H.R. 4847 would do both. S. 757/H.R. 1627 would modify a trademark sanction, while H.R. 274, H.R. 403, H.R. 635, and H.R. 735 would repeal the sanction. H.R. 654/S. 2559 and H.R. 4678 would prohibit changes to the lease agreements for the U.S. Naval Station at Guant\u00e1namo Bay without congressional action.\nFor more on the legislation, see Appendix below.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R43926", "sha1": "c0d5c8cd640863f41cf5aab71fce39757352d17a", "filename": "files/20160428_R43926_c0d5c8cd640863f41cf5aab71fce39757352d17a.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R43926", "sha1": "25cb3140983ba3a1c26a9d87aff1f3aafd85421c", "filename": "files/20160428_R43926_25cb3140983ba3a1c26a9d87aff1f3aafd85421c.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 281, "name": "Latin America and the Caribbean" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 450931, "date": "2016-03-15", "retrieved": "2016-03-24T16:53:38.728492", "title": "Cuba: Issues for the 114th Congress", "summary": "Cuba remains a one-party communist state with a poor record on human rights. The country\u2019s political succession in 2006 from the long-ruling Fidel Castro to his brother Ra\u00fal was characterized by a remarkable degree of stability. In 2013, Ra\u00fal began his second and final five-year term, which is scheduled to end in February 2018, when he would be 86 years of age. Castro has implemented a number of market-oriented economic policy changes over the past several years. A planned April 16-18, 2016, Cuban Communist Party congress will likely focus on progress in implementing economic goals or guidelines that were adopted at the last party congress in 2011 as well as future economic measures. Few observers, however, expect the government to ease its tight control over the political system. While the government has released most long-term political prisoners, short-term detentions and harassment have increased significantly over the past several years, reflecting a change of tactics in repressing dissent.\nU.S. Policy\nCongress has played an active role in shaping policy toward Cuba, including the enactment of legislation strengthening and at times easing various U.S. economic sanctions. U.S. policy over the years has consisted largely of isolating Cuba through economic sanctions, while a second policy component has consisted of support measures for the Cuban people, including U.S. government-sponsored broadcasting and support for human rights and democracy projects. \nIn December 2014, President Obama announced a major shift in U.S. policy toward Cuba, moving away from a sanctions-based policy toward one of engagement and a normalization of relations. The policy change included talks to restore diplomatic relations (relations were reestablished on July 20, 2015); a review of Cuba\u2019s designation as a state sponsor of international terrorism (Cuba\u2019s designation was rescinded on May 29, 2015); and an increase in travel, commerce, and the flow of information to Cuba. In order to implement this third step, the Treasury and Commerce Departments eased the embargo regulations four times (January and September 2015 and January and March 2016) in such areas as travel, remittances, trade, telecommunications, and financial services. The overall embargo, however, remains in place, and can only be lifted with congressional action or if certain conditions in Cuba are met, including that a democratically elected government is in place. The President maintained that the United States would continue to raise concerns about democracy and human rights in Cuba, but he emphasized that the United States could do more through engagement than isolation. With the goal of advancing the normalization process, President Obama is scheduled to visit Cuba on March 20-22, 2016, the first visit of a U.S. President to Cuba in almost 90 years. \nLegislative Activity\nThe Obama Administration\u2019s shift in Cuba policy has spurred strong interest in Congress. Some Members lauded the initiative as in the best interest of the United States and a better way to support change in Cuba, while others criticized the President for not obtaining more concessions from Cuba to advance human rights and protect U.S. interests. In the 114th Congress, several hearings have been held, and numerous legislative initiatives have been introduced. \nNumerous bills would lift or ease sanctions: H.R. 274, H.R. 403, and H.R. 735 (overall embargo and other economic restrictions); H.R. 634, H.R. 664, and S. 299 (travel restrictions); H.R. 635 (agricultural and medical exports and travel); S. 491 and S. 1543/H.R. 3238 (certain embargo restrictions); S. 1049 (financing of agricultural sales); S. 1389/H.R. 3055 (telecommunications); H.R. 3306 (energy resources and technologies); and H.R. 3687 (agricultural exports and investment). Other bills would increase restrictions on engagement with Cuba: S. 1388 and H.R. 2466 would require a plan for resolving U.S. property claims before the President could ease restrictions on travel and trade; S. 1489 and H.R. 2937 would prohibit financial transactions with the Cuban military and interior ministries, associated entities, and senior members.\nRegarding action on FY2016 appropriations measures, the Senate version of the FY2016 Financial Services appropriations bill, S. 1910, had three Cuba provisions that would have eased sanctions on Cuba related to agricultural exports, travel, and shipping. In contrast, five FY2016 House appropriations bills\u2014H.R. 2577, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development; H.R. 2578, Commerce, Justice, and Science; H.R. 2772, State Department and Foreign Operations; H.R. 2995, Financial and General Government; and H.R. 3128, Homeland Security\u2014had Cuba provisions that would have blocked some of the Administration\u2019s Cuba policy changes (related to travel, trade, and increased funding for the U.S. diplomatic mission in Havana) and would have introduced new economic sanctions. Ultimately, none of these provisions easing or tightening sanctions was included in the FY2016 omnibus appropriations measure, P.L. 114-113. The omnibus, however, funds Cuba democracy programs ($20 million) and Cuba broadcasting ($27.14 million), has provisions regarding U.S. diplomatic facilities in Cuba (similar to provisions in S. 1705/H.R. 4127), and prohibits FY2016 funding for the closure of the U.S. Naval Station at Guant\u00e1namo Bay (similar to the FY2016 defense authorization measure, P.L. 114-92). \nAmong other bills, H.R. 570 would cease Radio and TV Mart\u00ed broadcasting; H.R. 738 would allow Cuban nationals to play professional baseball in the United States; H.Res. 181 would call for the extradition of U.S. fugitives from justice; H.R. 1782, among other measures, would express the sense of Congress that U.S.-Cuban relations should not change until the Cuban government ceases human rights violations; S. 1999 would authorize certain oil spill prevention and response measures; H.R. 3818 would repeal the Cuban Adjustment Act; and H.R. 4247/S. 2441 would provide that certain Cubans are ineligible to receive refugee/parolee assistance. Identical bills S. 757/H.R. 1627 would modify a trademark sanction, while H.R. 274, H.R. 403, H.R. 635, and H.R. 735 would repeal the sanction. H.R. 654/S. 2559 and H.R. 4678 would prohibit changes to the lease agreements for the U.S. Naval Station at Guant\u00e1namo Bay without congressional action.\nFor more on the legislation, see Appendix below.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R43926", "sha1": "ba210486365ae60aaedffaa7edfe9496c24b0d7b", "filename": "files/20160315_R43926_ba210486365ae60aaedffaa7edfe9496c24b0d7b.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R43926", "sha1": "07046ea1263e3a81f9fc183caa0c3207d573dc0b", "filename": "files/20160315_R43926_07046ea1263e3a81f9fc183caa0c3207d573dc0b.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 281, "name": "Latin America and the Caribbean" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc824816/", "id": "R43926_2016Jan11", "date": "2016-01-11", "retrieved": "2016-04-04T14:48:17", "title": "Cuba: Issues for the 114th Congress", "summary": "This report is divided into three major sections analyzing Cuba's political and economic environment, U.S. policy, and selected issues in U.S.-Cuban relations. 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