Issue Position: Cuba Relations

Issue Position

Together as a community we have pressed for positive change to improve the lives of Cubans and Americans and turn the page on the Cold War Policies of the past 50 years. On Dec. 17, 2014, we celebrated the historic announcement of President Obama, who answered our community's call for change: Re-establishing diplomatic relations, expanding travel opportunities and support for Cuban people. The Tampa community was central to this historic normalization of relations with Cuba!

I was the first member of Congress from Florida to call for modernization of the longstanding ban on traveling to Cuba by cosponsoring a bill that would open travel to Cuba to all Americans. Not only would this help Cuban-Americans, this would create jobs and boost our economy. I have been working hard to ease travel restrictions for Cuban-American families and to designate Tampa International Airport as an entry/exit point for charter flights to the island nation. We have made progress. In 2009, President Obama issued an executive order to lift travel restrictions on family travel to Cuba and to increase the amount of monetary remittance that families could send to relatives in Cuba. Today, TIA is one of the busiest airports for direct flights to Cuba.

I hear the personal stories of families trying to visit loved ones in Cuba. I remain committed to working with President Obama to breathe new life into Cuba travel restrictions. Below you will find more information about the work we are doing to help our neighbors and improve our relations with the island nation.

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