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Senators Reintroduce Bill to Lift Cuba Trade Embargo

Three senators reintroduced legislation May 20 that would lift a Cuba trade embargo to eliminate business barriers between the two countries and boost U.S. exports to the island. The Freedom to Export to Cuba Act wouldn’t repeal trade restrictions surrounding human rights violations but would eliminate “key provisions of previous laws that block” U.S. exports to Cuba, a news release said. Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.; Jerry Moran, R-Kan.; and Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., are the sponsors.

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Moran said the embargo has damaged U.S. farmers and manufacturers “while foreign competitors such as China benefit at our expense.” Eliminating the restrictions will “open the door to a large export market,” Klobuchar said. Although Leahy said the bill will “never pass Congress today," it should still be considered. “This bill would do away with a misguided, failed policy of unilateral sanctions that harms the Cuban people and shortchanges American companies and American workers,” Leahy said. “It should be debated and voted on in the Senate.”