CUBA
NEWS
Yahoo!
US lawmakers to found pro-democracy
group for Cuba
WASHINGTON, 26 (AFP) - US senators and
representatives will found a bipartisan
committee to promote democracy in Cuba,
lawmakers announced.
The group will officially announce the
committee on Capitol Hill, they said.
The committee will "promote discussion
and pro-active policy-making to hasten Cuba's
transition to a free and democratic society,"
said a statement from Florida Republican
Senator Mel Martinez, who was born in Cuba.
The committee "will be dedicated to
supporting the courageous movement for democracy
within Cuba, while bringing to public light
the atrocities being committed by the totalitarian
dictatorship," said a statement signed
by several representatives, including Republican
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, Democrat
Eliot Engel of New York and brothers Lincoln
and Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, both Republicans.
Congress was to discuss late Tuesday a
resolution condemning Cuba's detention of
75 Cuban dissidents on the second anniversary
of their arrests, in March of 2003.
Other lawmakers who oppose a 40-year US
embargo as well as restrictions on travel
to the Communist island will introduce a
new bill loosening restrictions on visits
to Cuba.
Cuban-Americans separated from their families
in Cuba by travel restrictions will testify
on Wednesday, when several organizations
will celebrate Cuba Action Day.
Members of Congress to Announce Legislation
to Lift Cuba Travel Ban
Apr 26,2005.
Members of Congress will announce their
new legislation to repeal the ban on travel
to Cuba, and Cuban-Americans separated from
family members by the travel ban will participate
in a forum on the impact of the travel restrictions,
both key events as hundreds of Americans
converge on Washington, D.C. for "Cuba
Action Day." Cuban Americans, including
Sgt. Carlos Lazo, a returned Iraq veteran
who could not visit his sons, and a Miami
teacher who could not see his dying father,
will speak.
The Members' announcement and the forum
will take place at the Hyatt Regency Ballroom,
400 New Jersey Avenue, N.W., 11 a.m. to
12:30 p.m. The day's other events will include
a prayer breakfast, and meetings with Senators
and Representatives.
WHEN: TOMORROW, Wednesday, April 27, 7
a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
WHAT: A day of action on Capitol Hill against
the unfair ban on travel to Cuba including.
-- Prayer breakfast
-- Forum with Sen. Baucus; Reps. Flake,
Delahunt, and Emerson; and other Members
of Congress (also featuring Cuban-Americans
and other travel ban victims).
-- State delegation meetings and congressional
briefings
-- Evening reception
WHO: Center for International Policy/Freedom
to Travel Campaign; Latin America Working
Group; Washington Office on Latin America;
Fifteen organizational co-sponsors
DETAILS: Cuba Action Day is the kick-off
for a nation-wide, ongoing campaign. It
is sponsored by organizations dedicated
to changing US policy toward Cuba including:
the Center for International Policy's Freedom
to Travel Campaign, the Latin America Working
Group, and the Washington Office on Latin
America. For more information, please go
to http://www.cubaactionday.org/.
Contact: Dwayne Lawler (media relations)
of TSD, 212-222-4477; Sarah Stephens or
Ingrid Vaicius (Spanish), 202-232-3317,
both of the Center for International Policy/Freedom
to Travel Campaign (CIP); Mavis Anderson
or Philip Schmidt, 202-546-7010, both of
the Latin America Working Group (LAWG);
Geoff Thale or Rachel Farley, 202-797-2171,
both of the Washington Office on Latin America
(WOLA)
Companies Launch New U.S.-Cuba Trade
Association: Major Corporations and Blue-Ribbon
Advisory Panel Join On
WASHINGTON, April 26 /PRNewswire/ -- More
than thirty companies, state agencies, and
organizations from 19 states announced today
the official formation of the U.S.-Cuba
Trade Association (USCTA).
Charter members of the newly formed association
include ADM, Caterpillar, Cargill, National
Foreign Trade Council, USA*Engage, USA Rice
Federation, North Dakota Farm Bureau, Port
of Galveston, Louisiana Department of Economic
Development, AgBioTech, Buffalo Int'l.,
Arthur Savage & Sons, Port Manatee Commercial
Center, Virginia Department of Agriculture,
U.S. Wheat Associates, and other companies.
The mission of the U.S.-Cuba Trade Association
is to protect current trade with Cuba, expand
and increase the potential for future business,
and promote the full normalization of commercial
relations between the U.S. and Cuba.
"We have formed this association because
of the desire of our members not only to
keep trade with Cuba running smoothly,"
said Kirby Jones, USCTA President and long-term
advisor to U.S. firms interested in Cuba,
"but also to move forward to expand
trade and travel opportunities with Cuba."
The Association was formed shortly after
the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)
of the U.S. Department of Treasury ruled
that U.S. firms receive money in advance
from Cuba before shipping. "This action
has already disrupted and directly hurt
the smooth trade which in three years produced
over $1.2 billion in sales by American firms,"
added Jones.
The Association has pledged support for
S. 328, the Agricultural Export Facilitation
Act of 2005, sponsored by U.S. Senators
Larry Craig (R-ID), Max Baucus (D-MT.),
and 28 other cosponsor and the same bill
in the House HR. 719 by Jerry Moran (R-Ks)
which would open more trade with Cuba. The
new association also voiced support for
bills expected to be introduced on April
27 by U.S. Senators Mike Enzi (R-WY) and
Baucus in the Senate and U.S. Reps. Jeff
Flake (R-AZ) and William Delahunt (D-MA)
to open up travel to Cuba.
The Board of Directors of the new group
is headed by Bill Reinsch, former Under
Secretary of Commerce and current President
of the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC).
The new Association has formed a strategic
partnership with the NFTC and its USA*Engage
Coalition of more than 600 U.S. companies
which have opposed the use of unilateral
economic sanctions, including the Cuba embargo.
"Cuba is the poster child for ineffective
sanctions and the embargo ought to be removed,"
said USCTA Board Chairman, Reinsch, "and
the U.S.-Cuba Trade Association will help
its member companies do business in Cuba
and learn about the future potential."
The Association's Board of Advisors, chaired
by William D. Rogers, former Assistant Secretary
of State and a Vice Chairman of Kissinger
Associates, includes David Rockefeller;
Carla Hills, former U.S. Trade representative;
Frank Carlucci, former Secretary of Defense;
James Schlesinger, former Director of CIA
and Secretary of Defense; A.W. Clausen,
former CEO of Bank America and President
of the World Bank; Silvia Wilhelm, of the
Miami-based Cuban American Commission for
Family Rights; Dr. Julius Richmond, a former
U.S. Surgeon General and current head of
Harvard's School of Public Health; and 20
other prominent Americans who reflect the
broad national support among different sectors
for normalized trade with Cuba.
In joining the USCTA Board of advisors,
Frank Carlucci, said, "I support the
formation of the U.S.-Cuba Trade Association
because I believe that normalizing commercial
relations with Cuba is in our own national
interest and would likely bring better results
than the 45-year-old unilateral embargo."
Advisory Board Chair William Rogers, added
that "We have seen the positive results
of engagement with China, Vietnam. It is
essential that the U.S. take the lead now
in expanding relations with our strategically
important neighbor, Cuba. This Association
is an important step toward building more
robust private sector commercial ties with
the Cubans -- a vital precondition to a
more normal relationship between our country
and theirs."
According to its web site (http://www.uscuba.org)
the U.S.-Cuba Trade Association will establish
a national data base of companies interested
in trade with Cuba, set up an email alert
system to mobilize support for Congressional
initiatives, provide members with a monthly
newsletter, and organize seminars and conferences
to educate the U.S. business community about
doing business with Cuba.
As one of its first activities, the U.S.-Cuba
Trade Association is hosting a meeting on
Wednesday, April 27 for companies, agricultural
associations, and representatives of organizations
to hear directly from Pedro Alvarez, Chairman
of Alimport, the Cuban entity which signs
all contracts with U.S. firms. Via two-way
teleconference, Alvarez will speak to the
group from his office in Havana and answer
questions.
The U.S.-Cuba Trade Association is a non
profit 501(c) (6) corporation with offices
in Washington, D.C.
Cuba Action Day: April 27th
Over 700 to call for end to travel ban;
leaders from business, academia, agriculture,
Cuban-American and religious communities
coming to Washington, DC
DETAILS:
More than 700 Americans from across the
US have registered to participate in "Cuba
Action Day" on April 27th, a day of
advocacy in Washington and around the nation,
to demand that Congress end the Cuba travel
ban that divides families, denies Americans
their fundamental right to travel, harms
Cubans, and impedes the creation of American
jobs. Participants from more than 35 states
will travel to Washington to take part,
including over 100 Cuban- Americans angered
by limits on family visits.
As Congress begins its annual debate over
Cuba policy, the Hyatt Regency Hotel will
be the site of a public forum, with participants
to include Senators Baucus and Enzi, Representatives
Flake and Delahunt, and Iraq War veteran
Army Sergeant Carlos Lazo, who is now unable
to visit his sons in Cuba due to the travel
ban. Other victims of the travel ban will
speak, as well, including Cuban American
family members and representatives of the
faith community. The day's events will also
include a prayer breakfast, and meetings
with Senators, Representatives, and their
staffs.
WHO:
Center for International Policy/Freedom
to Travel Campaign
Latin America Working Group
Washington Office on Latin America
Fifteen organizational co-sponsors
WHAT:
A day of action on Capitol Hill against
the unfair ban on travel to Cuba that divides
families, denies the Cuban people free access
to humanitarian support, and restricts access
to a market important to American farmers.
-Prayer breakfast
-Forum w/ Sens. Baucus and Enzi; Reps. Flake
and Delahunt; and other members of Congress
(Hyatt Regency Ballroom, 400 New Jersey
Avenue, N.W., 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)
-State delegation meetings and congressional
briefings
-Evening reception
WHEN:
Wednesday, April 27; 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Cuba Action Day is the kick-off for a nation-wide,
ongoing campaign. It is sponsored by organizations
dedicated to changing US policy toward Cuba
including: the Center for International
Policy's Freedom to Travel Campaign, the
Latin America Working Group, and the Washington
Office on Latin America. For more information,
please go to http://www.cubaactionday.org/.
| 
