Cramer: House Members Launch Bi-Partisan Cuba Working Group

Press Release

Congressman Kevin Cramer signed a letter to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi with fellow members of the U.S. House of Representatives to announce the formation of a Bi-Partisan Cuba Working Group. View a copy of the letter here.

The group seeks to advance policy proposals to promote the rapidly changing status in the U.S.-Cuba relationship. Joining Cramer are Congresswoman Kathy Castor (D-FL), Congressman Rick Crawford (R- AR), Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Congressman Tom Emmer (R-MN), Congressman Sam Farr (D-CA), Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), Congressman Jim P. McGovern (D-MA), Congressman Ted Poe (R-TX), and Congressman Reid Ribble (R-WI). The formation of this working group comes on the one-year anniversary of President Obama announcing plans to move forward on normalizing relations between the United States and Cuba.

"Incremental steps to increase trade, travel and investment in Cuba will improve economic conditions in Cuba as well as promote change in the country," said Cramer. "Change in Cuba will not happen overnight, but increased interaction with America will spread liberty and democracy in Cuba."

Cramer said improved trading opportunities in Cuba will benefit North Dakota's Ag producers. "It allows farmers in North Dakota and across the country to do what farmers do naturally - feed hungry people. Trade is central to America's foreign policy, and Cuba's long road to democracy will be shortened by improved communication and trade with the United States."

Members of the Cuba Working Group are supporters of one or more key pieces of legislation introduced in 2015, with Republicans as the lead sponsors. Taken together, these bills repeal economic and travel restrictions and effectively eliminate the U.S. embargo on Cuba:

The Cuba Trade Act of 2015 allows U.S. businesses in the private sector to trade with Cuba without restrictions;

The Cuba Digital and Telecommunications Advancement Act (Cuba DATA Act) allows U.S. telecommunications and internet companies to provide services to the island; (Congressman Cramer Lead Sponsor)

The Cuba Agriculture Exports Act allows for U.S. investment in privately owned Cuban agriculture businesses;

The Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act of 2015 allows all U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba.
Public opinion polls over the past year have shown an increasing support to end the Cuban trade embargo and change course on U.S.-Cuba relations. The most recent Pew poll showed 73 percent of the American people, including 59 percent of Republicans favor ending the trade embargo.

In December 2014, Cramer expressed his support for improving relations with Cuba. He was part of a group of five Representatives and Senators who helped launch the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba, which includes more than 25 prominent U.S. food and agriculture companies and associations who seek to advance trade relations between the U.S. and Cuba. On January 8, Cramer gave the keynote speech at the launch of the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba. View his speech at the event by clicking on the image below.

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