Cuba: Issues for the 108th Congress

Publication Date: September 2003

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Government

Type:

Coverage: Cuba

Abstract:

Cuba under Fidel Castro remains a hard-line communist state, with a poor record on human rights that has deteriorated significantly in 2003. With the cutoff of assistance from the former Soviet Union, Cuba experienced severe economic deterioration from 1989 to 1993. While there has been some improvement since 1994 as Cuba has implemented limited reforms, the economy remains in poor shape.

Since the early 1960s, U.S. policy toward Cuba has consisted largely of isolating the island nation through comprehensive economic sanctions. The principal tool of policy remains sanctions, which were tightened with the Cuban Democracy Act (CDA) in 1992 and the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act in 1996. Another component of U.S. policy consists of support measures for the Cuban people, including private humanitarian donations and U.S.-sponsored radio and television broadcasting to Cuba. While there appears to be broad agreement on the overall objective of U.S. policy toward Cuba -- to help bring democracy and respect for human rights to the island, there are several schools of thought on how to achieve that objective. Some advocate maximum pressure on the Cuban government until reforms are enacted, others argue for lifting some U.S. sanctions that they believe are hurting the Cuban people, and still others call for a swift normalization of U.S.-Cuban relations by lifting the U.S. embargo.

Congress is continuing its high level of interest in Cuba with a variety of legislative initiatives introduced regarding sanctions and human rights. Demonstrating concern about the poor human rights situation, Congress approved three resolutions: S.Res. 97, H.Res. 179, and S.Res. 62. Several legislative initiatives have been introduced that would ease sanctions on Cuba (H.R. 187, H.R. 188, H.R. 1698, H.R. 2071, H.R. 2494, S. 403, and S. 950), and as in past years, there are ongoing attempts in appropriations bills to ease some Cuba embargo restrictions. The House-approved version of the FY2004 Transportation-Treasury appropriations bill, H.R. 2989, has provisions that would prevent funds from being used to administer or enforce restrictions on travel and remittances, and from being used to eliminate the travel category of people-to-people educational exchanges. Similar language is expected to be offered during Senate consideration of the Senate version of the bill, S. 1589. The Senate version of the FY2004 agriculture appropriations bill, S. 1427, includes a provision allowing travel to Cuba for travel related to the sale of agricultural and medical goods. Among other bills: the Senate committee FY2004 foreign operations appropriations measure, S. 1426, would provide assistance for counter-narcotics cooperation with Cuba, while the House-passed version, H.R. 2800, would prohibit such assistance; H.R. 2799/S. 1585, FY2004 Commerce, State, and Justice appropriations bills, would continue funding for Cuba broadcasting.

This report will be updated regularly to track legislative initiatives and developments in U.S. relations with Cuba. For more information, see CRS Report RL31139, Cuba: U.S. Restrictions on Travel and Legislative Initiatives; CRS Report RS20468, Cuban Migration Policy and Issues; and CRS Issue Brief IB10061, Exempting Food and Agriculture Products from U.S. Economic Sanctions: Status and Implementation.