April 26, 2005
(Washington, DC) – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland), met with Bay Area activists participating in Cuba Action Day and called for an end to the trade and travel restrictions with Cuba.
“It is time to get rid of the illogical and archaic travel and trade embargo on Cuba,” said Lee. “This policy is clearly broken, and it is up to us to fix it.”
More than 700 activists gathered from around the country to participate in Cuba Action Day, an annual lobbying event aimed at urging members of Congress to end the Cuba embargo.
Between 2000 and 2003 the House voted four times to lift travel restrictions to Cuba. In 2003, the Senate approved a similar measure, but Republican staff removed it before it was considered in conference committee. Despite these efforts in Congress, the Bush administration has consistently moved to tighten travel restrictions.
“We must continue to fight to get rid of the politically motivated restrictions and to end this unjust embargo,” said Lee. “I will continue this fight at every opportunity.”
Lee has been working to end the forty year old embargo since working as a Congressional aid for her predecessor, Congressman Ron Dellums. Last year the House passed Lee’s amendment to the Transportation and Treasury Appropriations bill to end travel restrictions Cuba, but the language was again stripped in conference committee.
Lee also led an effort to allow American students to study medicine for free at the Latin American Medical School in Havana. Last year, when the legal status of these students was threatened by election-year travel restrictions imposed by the Bush administration, Lee led a coalition that included members of the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus to delay the implementation of restrictions and eventually to create a special category that protected the student travel.
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Barbara Lee Praises Efforts to End Cuba Embargo
Meets with Activists on Capitol Hill for Cuba Action Day
(Washington, DC) – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland), met with Bay Area activists participating in Cuba Action Day and called for an end to the trade and travel restrictions with Cuba.
“It is time to get rid of the illogical and archaic travel and trade embargo on Cuba,” said Lee. “This policy is clearly broken, and it is up to us to fix it.”
More than 700 activists gathered from around the country to participate in Cuba Action Day, an annual lobbying event aimed at urging members of Congress to end the Cuba embargo.
Between 2000 and 2003 the House voted four times to lift travel restrictions to Cuba. In 2003, the Senate approved a similar measure, but Republican staff removed it before it was considered in conference committee. Despite these efforts in Congress, the Bush administration has consistently moved to tighten travel restrictions.
“We must continue to fight to get rid of the politically motivated restrictions and to end this unjust embargo,” said Lee. “I will continue this fight at every opportunity.”
Lee has been working to end the forty year old embargo since working as a Congressional aid for her predecessor, Congressman Ron Dellums. Last year the House passed Lee’s amendment to the Transportation and Treasury Appropriations bill to end travel restrictions Cuba, but the language was again stripped in conference committee.
Lee also led an effort to allow American students to study medicine for free at the Latin American Medical School in Havana. Last year, when the legal status of these students was threatened by election-year travel restrictions imposed by the Bush administration, Lee led a coalition that included members of the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus to delay the implementation of restrictions and eventually to create a special category that protected the student travel.
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