The Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act is a bill that was introduced into the U.S. Congress in February 2009. The proposed legislation would allow U.S. citizens to engage in unrestricted travel to Cuba

Cuba

The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...

 for the first time since 1963. The bill was introduced by Rep. William Delahunt (D-Mass) with eight co-sponsors, including Rosa DeLauro

Rosa DeLauro

Rosa L. DeLauro is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1991. She is a member of the Democratic Party.The district is based in New Haven, and includes most of that city's suburbs.-Early life, education and career:...

 (D-Conn), Sam Farr

Sam Farr

Samuel S. "Sam" Farr is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He was elected to Congress in a 1993 special election when longtime Democratic Rep...

 (D-Calif), and Ron Paul

Ron Paul

Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...

 (R- Texas).

Bob Whitley, president of the United States Tour Operators Association, has supported the measure, remarking "if Americans don't like the policies of the government of a country, they can choose not to go. But a lot of people want to see Cuba because they've been denied the right."

The bill is currently sidelined in a committee.

Support

As of July 2009, the bill had more than 150 Congressional signatories. Florida attorney Tony Martinez has voiced support of the bill noting that "U.S. foreign policy shouldn't be manipulated to serve a political agenda", while noting that "the majority of all Americans want the ending of the embargo and the lifting of travel restrictions."

In July 2010, Newsweek magazine reported that a poll conducted by Andy Gomez, associate provost at the University of Miami

University of Miami

The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...

, found that 64 percent of Cuban-Americans in Miami now support a unilateral lifting of the travel ban. In lieu of changing perceptions, former Democratic

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

 Senator

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

 Gary Hart

Gary Hart

Gary Hart is an American politician, lawyer, author, professor and commentator. He served as a Democratic Senator representing Colorado , and ran in the U.S...

 criticized the continuing embargo, remarking "second generation Cuban-Americans are finally beginning to change their community's attitudes and make it clear they no longer are interested in holding the mighty U.S.'s foreign policy toward a tiny nearby country hostage to their parents' anger."

In June 2011, former Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern

George McGovern

George Stanley McGovern is an historian, author, and former U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator, and the Democratic Party nominee in the 1972 presidential election....

 spoke out against the travel ban before visiting Cuba, remarking:

McGovern blamed "embittered Cuban exiles in Miami" for keeping the embargo alive all these years, because of their dislike for Fidel Castro

Fidel Castro

Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...

.

External links

• Cuba Travel Restrictions - a slideshow by The Miami Herald
• Why Obama's New Cuba Rules Violate the Constitution by Nelson P. Valdes, Counterpunch, March 18, 2009
• Cuba Readies for Possible Influx of U.S. Tourists by Jeff Franks, Reuters, April 12, 2009
• 'Momentum is Building' for Legal U.S. Tourism to Cuba by Kitty Bean Yancey, USA Today, May 1, 2009
• Lifting of Ban Sends Wave of Valley Relatives on Visits to Cuba by Daniel González, The Arizona Republic, June 11, 2009
• A New Approach to Cuba by Barry R. McCaffrey, Miami Herald, June 23, 2009
• A Trip to Cuba Confirms the Need to End the U.S. Travel and Trade Restrictions by Bruce Ramsey, Seattle Times, July 21, 2009
• Man Trying to Challenge Cuba Travel Ban Still Free by Amy Taxin, AP, July 24, 2009
• Congress Reviewing Cuban Sanctions, may Lift Travel Ban by The Washington Post
  The Washington Post
  The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
  
  , July 7, 2010