May 13,2003

House and Senate Cuba Working Groups Hold Press Conference to Push Opening Doors in Cuba; House Introducing Companion Bill Lifting Cuba Travel Ban

Event: Press Conference on joint House-Senate legislation to lift the Cuba travel ban.Reps. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and William Delahunt (D-Mass.) will introduce Cuba travellegislation in the House on May 14, 2003. Sens. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Mike Enzi(R-Wyo.), among others, introduced identical legislation on April 30, 2003.

Date: Wednesday, May 14, 2003 10:30 a.m.

Location: Senate Radio/TV Gallery - S-325

Participants: Sens. Max Baucus and Mike Enzi, Reps. Jeff Flake and William Delahunt,along with members of the House and Senate Cuba Working Groups.

Background:On April 30, 2003 Senator Max Baucus introduced bipartisan legislation thatwould allow all Americans to travel freely to Cuba. Sens. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) andByron Dorgan (D-N.D.) joined Baucus in introducing the bill. Members of the House ofRepresentatives will be introducing identical legislation on May 14, 2003.

"Given the ongoing human rights violations in Cuba, it's clear that 40 years ofsanctions aren't working and it's time to take a new approach," Baucus said. "One of thebest ways to bring democracy to Cuba is to let Americans travel to, meet with, and buildrelationships with Cubans. Ending the travel ban is the first and best way to do this and Ilook forward to working together with the House and Senate Cuba Working Groups tokeep this issue moving forward."

The goal of the House and Senate Cuba Working Groups is to fully examine U.S.policies toward Cuba and determine the steps Congress can take to increase trade andstrengthen the relationship between the two countries.