|
By Ted Monoson,
Star-Tribune. Washington
Bureau. Friday, June 27, 2003
WASHINGTON -- Wyoming Republican Sen. Mike Enzi and Montana Democratic Sen.
Max Baucus agree that U.S. citizens should be able to travel to Cuba, but they
disagree over how to force action on a bill that would permit it.
Enzi was one of 15 members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who
voted on Thursday to approve Robert F. Noriega's nomination to serve as
Department of State assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere Affairs.
Three Democrats on the committee voted against the nomination.
A majority of senators must vote in favor of top administration officials.
Enzi would like to see the full Senate take up the nomination, but thanks to
Baucus that will not happen.
The Montanan said on Thursday that he plans to place a "hold" on
Noriega's nomination until the Senate has an opportunity to vote on a bill that
would prohibit the president from directly or indirectly blocking travel to
Cuba.
Placing holds on nominations or legislation is a common tactic that senators
use if they oppose a bill or nominee.
Baucus said he does not object to Noriega's nomination, but is simply using
it to pressure Majority Leader Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., to act on the bill
permitting travel to Cuba.
Enzi does not agree with Baucus' use of the "hold" tactic.
"I have that ingrained sense that you don't trade votes," Enzi
said. "I really don't like people to put holds on a nominee or an issue to
push an issue that is not related."
Enzi noted that Wyoming state law prohibits state legislators from trading
votes. He served in the Wyoming House from 1988 to 1991 and the Wyoming Senate
from 1992 to 1995.
Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard G. Lugar, R-Ind., said that
Baucus has not told him about his intention to hold up the Noriega nomination.
He did say that he planned to hold a hearing on the bill to permit travel to
Cuba.
"I indicated early on to Sen. Enzi that we would have a hearing on it,"
Lugar said.
Enzi said that he believed if the committee process is allowed to work the
bill permitting travel to Cuba could pass.
"If we are able to do it through committee, it will come up for a vote
in the Senate," Enzi said.
Lugar said that a majority of senators would support the bill, but it would
likely face problems in the House. The Bush administration has opposed
permitting travel to Cuba.
A bill must be passed by both the Senate and House and signed by the
president to become law.
In 1960, President Dwight Eisenhower responded to Fidel Castro's
nationalization of the property of U.S. companies by imposing an embargo on Cuba
that is still in place. In 1958, Eisenhower banned travel to Cuba. After the
Supreme Court ruled that this ban was unconstitutional, Eisenhower banned
Americans from spending money in Cuba. That ban, like the embargo, remains in
place.
Baucus Enzi say removing the travel restrictions say it will lead to trade
between the United States and Cuba. They say that interactions between citizens
of the United States and Cuba would weaken Castro's grip on the Caribbean
nation. | 
